IRELAND is considering implementing a Covid-testing service and traffic light system for American passengers looking to travel to the Emerald Isle over the festive period.
Members of the Oireachtas Transport Committee are currently working on a draft report on the aviation industry, and are looking into what steps need to be made in preparing for Christmas.
The report is due to be published next week, but an early draft is understood to contain a series of proposals that could affect travellers from the US, according to the Irish Independent.
Covid-19 testing is a requirement for travel under the EU's traffic light system, in an attempt to reduce the possibility of the virus spreading from highly infected areas of Europe.
The US currently has no such system, but in order to facilitate for the large amount of Americans looking to fly to Ireland for the holidays, a similar system could be set up.
The cost of a Covid-19 test at Dublin Airport ranges from between €99-199, but under the latest proposal, this could be reduced so that passengers won't have to pay more than €50.
An immediate implementation of a traffic light system for non-EU countries has also been recommended.
Under this system, different areas are given different colour codes, depending on the level of Covid-19 infections.
Despite this, Ireland's National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has asked people not to travel home from abroad in order to reduce any potential spread of coronavirus.
