Call for tourist checks as restaurants deal with US influx

Temperature checks of all passengers arriving into Ireland by airplane, and rapid testing of airport arrivals from ‘high risk’ countries such as America, could help to suppress a second wave of Covid-19, according to a Galway West TD.

Sinn Féin’s Mairéad Farrell said Covid-19 was ‘out of control’ in the United States and the Irish Government’s policy on travel from overseas Covid hotspots was ‘reckless’.

The city-based TD slammed as ‘completely unfair’ that Galway restaurants and bars have to act as ‘quarantine police’ and ascertain whether American and tourists had self-quarantined for the required 14 days before entering their premises.

It comes as two Galway city businesses relayed stories this week of encounters with American tourists.

Michelin Star chef, JP McMahon said a group of people from Texas dined at his Spanish tapas restaurant, Cava, on Middle Street over the weekend. He said staff were ‘very uncomfortable’.

“We have no way of knowing if they just arrived and should be self-quarantining. We need a decision on this particularly if people are coming from places with high cases,” said Mr McMahon.

He said in future his staff will ask all international bookings for their entry dates into the country until Government has issued a green list of countries that don’t require quarantining.

“We’re just trying to run a restaurant, we don’t have time to police,” added Mr McMahon.

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