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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Shopping tours and travel rules

Summary

Deputy Richmond asks whether action is needed against online shopping tours that encourage non-essential travel. The Tánaiste says he will check the example's legality and restates the level 3 travel rules.

This morning, I raised the very concerning issue of a Derry-based bus company advertising shopping tours to Dundrum in my constituency in advance of Christmas. In light of the Tánaiste's responses to Deputies Gould and Lowry, does the Government have any plans to introduce regulations or legislation to deal with this extremely irresponsible online activity, which promotes something that completely goes against the guidelines that he has discussed?

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Leo Varadkar The Tánaiste Fine Gael

If the Deputy can provide me with the details, I will check out the legality of that example. It may already be against the law. We are now under level 5 restrictions. We hope to move to level 3 next week. At level 3, inter-county travel is allowed for work, education and essential purposes such as medical appointments or caring for elderly relatives or children who cannot be cared for by somebody else. Unfortunately, that does not cover visiting friends and relatives, shopping or weekends away. Level 3 will not permit inter-county travel of a non-essential nature. That also applies to North-South travel, which is inter-county travel. Any relaxation of the rules on visiting friends, shopping or anything else of that nature will be considered closer to Christmas depending on the epidemiological data at the time.

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