Travel restrictions between Scotland and Ireland to be lifted

Scotland will lift a travel ban to and from most of Ireland from Friday evening.

The change does not apply for Donegal, where Covid infection rates remain high, the Scottish Government said.

Regulations were laid in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday but restrictions remain in place between Scotland and England, Northern Ireland and Wales – with the exception of travelling for essential reasons.

A ban on travel to and from Jersey will be introduced from 6pm on Friday, following a significant increase in cases of coronavirus there.

People should still not travel in and out of level three and four local authority areas, unless they have a reasonable excuse.

Transport secretary Michael Matheson said: “Travel restrictions, based on the risk of importation of the virus, are key to helping reduce the spread of Covid-19 between countries.

“That is why we are introducing a temporary ban on non-essential travel to and from Jersey, as well as maintaining the restrictions on travel with the rest of the UK.

“The Scottish Government’s clinical advisors have carefully considered the potential public health impact, and assessed the risk of importation of Covid-19 from Ireland as a whole to be no longer high. But there remains a specific risk in relation to travel to and from Donegal.

“While our ban is being lifted for travel to and from most of Ireland, clearly the virus and its threat to public health have not gone away.

“Those intent on travelling should be aware that Irish quarantine restrictions will apply to anyone arriving from anywhere in Great Britain, so they should also follow the advice in that country.

“Our firm advice continues to be that non-essential travel – whether domestic or international – should not be undertaken at this time.”