Sir, – I see that the tax havens of Monaco, San Marino, Malta and Gibraltar made it onto the Government’s green list, hence not requiring incoming travellers to quarantine for 14 days.
Of these countries, only Malta is serviced with a direct flight to Ireland. If one was to travel from Gibraltar to Ireland, I presume that one would be very likely to transit through Spain. I was as surprised as many to find Italy on the list, given the level of infection in that country. As an aside, San Marino is a principality encapsulated entirely within the landmass of Italy.
Generally speaking, however, the manner of individuals that reside in and frequent these countries and principalities are more prone to using their own private jets rather than mix with hoi polloi on commercial airliners.
Although the globetrotting wealthy can also fly private jets in and out of practically any country they chose to at present, no matter how high the coronavirus infection rates therein, it would just not do at all to have the super-wealthy quarantine. – Yours, etc,
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ALLAN SWEENEY,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14.
A chara, – I was a bit confused reading the article "McDonald criticises approach to travel" (News, July 2nd). The Sinn Féin leader was berating the Taoiseach for the Government's 15-country green list, calling it a "reckless policy on international travel", while her own party had signed off on a 59-country travel list in Stormont. Mathematically speaking, that sounds about four times more reckless to me. Does the word "reckless" mean something else when one enters the Six Counties? Obviously it does. – Is mise,
PAT BURKE WALSH,
Gorey,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – I am surprised that the People’s Republic of Cork did not make the cut! – Yours, etc,
TADHG McCARTHY,
Bray, Co Wicklow.
A chara, – It is an interesting notion that Gibraltar is on the green list. There are no direct flights from Ireland, the destination being only accessible through Britain, which is not on the green list. Furthermore, most of the workforce in Gibraltar commute daily from Spain, also not on the Green list. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O’GORMAN,
Tagoat,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – This is all a bit of a storm in a teacup. What’s so complicated about saying that people should avoid non-essential travel, but if you must go, here is a list of relatively safe countries which you can travel to without having to self-isolate on your return? – Yours, etc,
FRANK SCHNITTGER,
Blessington,
Co Wicklow.