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Quarantine of 14 days for travellers coming to Ireland (16.03.2020)

Anyone coming into Ireland, apart from Northern Ireland, will be required to restrict their movements on arrival for 14 days. This includes Irish residents. Essential supply chain services such as hauliers, pilots and maritime staff are exempt.

Start date: 16.03.2020

End date: not available

Further information: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus/

Temporary and limited relaxation of the enforcement of driving and rest times for the drivers of vehicles engaged in goods transport

Ireland has notified a temporary and limited relaxation of the enforcement of driving and rest times for the drivers of vehicles engaged in goods transport. This relaxation is granted pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006. It will apply to those drivers involved in domestic and international transport.

Start date: 18.03.2020

End date: 16.04.2020

further information: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/temporary-relaxatio...

Contact information:

Forthcoming

Restrictions

The Irish Government have issued special advice about travelling, including restricting movements for 14 days on those entering Ireland who have been to affected areas. Freight transport is exempted. The government published a guidance note for supply chain workers. This document contains about one and half pages of useful guidelines for drivers.

To reduce the risk of infection, the ferry company Seatruck Ferries has temporarily stopped shipping any HGV drivers or any other passengers in their Irish Sea vessels. Accompanied road transport (complete truck combinations with driver) is then stopped until further notice, but the company will continue to carry unaccompanied semi-trailers, containers and swap bodies.

Relieves

In response to the extraordinary crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), Ireland has agreed to a temporary and limited relaxation of the enforcement of driving and rest times rules for the drivers of vehicles engaged in domestic and international goods transport. This relaxation is granted pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 and applies from 18 March 2020 and will run until 16 April 2020, provided that road safety is not affected [impaired] when transport companies make use of these exemptions. Employers remain responsible for the health and safety of their employees and other road users. For the above mentioned category of drivers, the following provisions will be temporarily relaxed as follows:

• Derogation to Art. 6(3): the fortnightly driving limit is lifted from 90 hours to 112 hours.
• Derogation to the Art. 8(6): in any two consecutive weeks a driver shall take at least two reduced weekly rest periods whilst maintaining the rule that a weekly rest period shall start no later than at the end of six 24-hour periods from the end of the previous weekly rest period. There shall be no requirement for compensation or for a regular weekly rest period to be taken.

Source: IRHA