Boat service continues to bring Irish home from GB
Small numbers of Irish people continue to make the journey home for Christmas, despite the current travel restrictions.
In response to a new strain of Covid-19 found in the UK, a number of countries, including the Republic of Ireland, introduced travel bans. The travel ban with the Republic runs until the New Year. The Irish government is offered limited repatriation to Irish residents who were temporarily in the UK. On Wednesday evening, the Irish Embassy in the UK wrote on social media that ferry services would be continuing during the current travel ban. Ferry services between Great Britain and the island of Ireland will also be continuing for freight. The current ban was announced on 20 December. On Tuesday, more than 350 Irish people returned home from Great Britain, according to RTÉ. These were people brought back on two special consular flights, one operated by Aer Lingus and one operated by Ryanair - organised by the Department for Foreign Affairs. Earlier this week, a proposal for an all-Ireland-Great Britain travel ban was rejected at a late night meeting of the Executive. The move was supported by Sinn Féin and the SDLP, but opposed by the Ulster Unionists, the DUP, and Alliance. Earlier, the Irish Department for Foreign Affairs said repatriation service was "not available for citizens normally resident, studying or working in Britain". "It will be available for essential travel only and must be arranged through the Department of Foreign Affairs."