FROM MONDAY, THE government’s air travel Green List will be cut from seven countries to four. 

Joining Cyprus, Finland and Latvia on the list is new entrant Liechtenstein. In the case of the first three, quarantine, testing or other restrictions are in place for arrivals from other countries including Ireland.

Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Iceland will be removed from the Green List.

Under the green list travel advisory, people can travel to the countries on the list for non-essential travel and return to Ireland without a need to restrict their movements.

However the Level 3 restrictions currently in place in Dublin apply for both domestic and overseas travel, meaning people in the capital won’t be able to go abroad except for essential reasons. People from Donegal will also be encouraged not to travel abroad as it enters Level Three.

The advice for people in other counties is to avoid non-essential travel abroad, other than to countries on the Green List, where the advice is to take normal precautions.

So, until Sunday evening, people will still be able to return to Ireland from Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Iceland and not be required to restrict their movements upon return.

However, from Monday morning, they will have to restrict their movements if returning from these countries.

On 15 September, the government agreed the Green List will be updated on a weekly basis.

The new system will see EU/EEA countries with an incidence rate of fewer than 25 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the past fortnight included on the Green List.

This system will remain in place until the EU’s new “traffic light” system comes into force. This is expected to happen next month.

Airlines have repeatedly criticised the government for its approach to air travel during the pandemic.

Updates are made to the Green List each Thursday to take effect the following Monday.