Stormont’s leaders have criticised the Irish Government for failing to share information on travellers arriving on the island during the pandemic.

First Minister Arlene Foster said repeated attempts by the Executive to access data on passenger locator forms filled out by people arriving in the Irish Republic had proved unsuccessful.

Her comments came after the Stormont Executive agreed new restrictions on international travel into Northern Ireland that will require arriving passengers to produce a negative Covid-19 test undertaken within 72 hours of departure for the region.

Decisions to introduce similar measures have already been taken in the Irish Republic as well as in England and Scotland.

Coronavirus – Thu Jan 14, 2021
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the issue had been raised repeatedly with the Irish Government (Brian Lawless/PA)

At Thursday’s Executive meeting, ministers also heard that current lockdown measures appear to be working, with the virus reproduction number for cases in the community having fallen to between 0.7 and 0.9.

The R number had been 1.8 when the current six-week lockdown was introduced after Christmas.

Ministers were also told that 5% of the population – more than 102,000 people – had now received a Covid-19 vaccine, making Northern Ireland one of the most advanced places in the world in terms of vaccine rollout.

Mrs Foster said the administration was elevating the issue around data sharing with their counterparts in Dublin to try to secure progress.

The First Minister said she and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill would be again raising it directly with Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

North South Ministerial Council meeting
First Minister Arlene Foster, right, said the issue had been raised with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, centre, at a meeting in Dublin Castle last summer (Damien Eagers/PA)

Mrs Foster said the data gap was of particular concern at Christmas when a large number of people arrived into the Irish Republic, with many subsequently travelling north.

“Unfortunately, this has been a long-running saga about travel locator forms,” she said.

“I do recall when we were at an NSMC (North South Ministerial Council meeting) in Dublin, I think it was July, the issue was raised at that meeting. I know for sure that the Minister of Health (Robin Swann) has been raising it on numerous occasions at meetings and indeed in correspondence with his counterpart in Dublin (Stephen Donnelly).

“So it has been going on for far too long, and I think there was a general feeling of frustration around the whole of the Executive table that we need to get a solution to this and we need to do it now.”

She added: “The Attorney General (Paul Gallagher) in the Republic has appeared to confirm that there should be no legal impediment to sharing that information so ministers have asked us to elevate the matter and raise it again urgently with the Taoiseach.”

Ms O’Neill echoed Mrs Foster’s frustration.

“We’ve made the case on the travel locator forms on many occasions,” she said.

“I certainly raised it as recently as yesterday evening with the Taoiseach.

“This has been raised at NSMC meetings, it has been raised repeatedly, so the issue needs to be resolved.”

Ms O’Neill noted that a request from the Stormont Executive last summer for the UK and Irish governments to convene a summit to discuss travel issues affecting the islands due to Covid-19 had not been acted on.

“It’s a very common sense approach that I’m asking for which is the sharing of information, which is how can we collaboratively work together to ensure that we put people’s interests first and we make sure that we protect lives and livelihoods,” she said.

“So that’s why we are asking for the conversation again with both the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, because now is the time to have a clear two islands approach, because I think we’re all at a critical juncture in terms of the virus spread.

“So it’s really, really important and vital that we get this conversation now.”

A spokesman for the Irish Government confirmed Mr Martin held a meeting with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister by video link on Wednesday night when the matter was discussed.

He also said Mr Donnelly had written to Mr Swann on Wednesday and was awaiting a response.

The spokesman added there had been “ongoing contact” between the chief medical officer in the Republic, Dr Tony Holohan, and his Northern Ireland counterpart, Dr Michael McBride, and that they are due to be in contact again on Friday.