The European Union is considering tougher travel restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 variants across the bloc.
The Commission says restrictions around travel across the EU should be co-ordinated, and allow for essential workers to cross borders freely.
It also wants more testing and sequencing for variants, saying there should be a check on 5 percent of all swabs - currently Ireland is checking around one percent.
Last night, Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said they are proposing a 'dark red' zone within the bloc's traffic light travel system:
Meanwhile the Rural Independent Group here has criticised the Government for it's 'juvenile' excuses for not imposing mandatory travel quarantine.
It says 33,000 foreign travellers arrive into the country a week, which will 'inevitably' carry more Covid cases into Ireland.
The Group's leader, Deputy Mattie McGrath, says it makes a 'laughing stock' of the Irish:
