Are there penalties in Ireland for not following self-quarantine rules?
My friend from the UK flew to Dublin two month ago to stay with some relatives and hasn't quarantined a day since he's been here. A few weeks ago, he was visited by Garda detectives who took down his phone number and asked him how many people live in his house.
He's not sure why they visited him. He thinks it might be because he didn't quarantine however he has contacted his local station and hasn't received a response. I also found out online that UK citizens don't need to quarantine or fill in a passenger locator form but other sources say they do.
Best Answer
It's a little hard to find exact information as to what the rules were 2 months ago (i.e. November 2021) since the rules change frequently.
However, this article published on 1st Nov '21 suggests that quarantine was required only if not double-vaccinated:
Do I need to quarantine on arrival in Ireland?
If you have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine 14 days before travel, no.
Non-double-vaccinated passengers must enter a mandatory 14-day quarantine on arrival. However, in a scheme similar to the UK’s Test to Release you can end your quarantine if you take a test five days after arrival and receive a negative result. You will need to carry proof of your negative result until 14 days after arrival in Ireland.
There were other entry requirements though - the Passenger Locator Form was a requirement for all entrants (regardless of vaccination status). So if your friend was double-vaccinated when they flew in, followed the requirements to evidence this, filled in the locator form etc then there was no need to quarantine.
As for potential penalties for failing to quarantine, potentially up to €2,500 fine and/or 6 months in prison.
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