The Government has removed five countries from its travel Green List.

Malta, Cyprus, San Marino, Gibraltar and Monaco have all been removed from the list amid concerns over rising Covid-19 cases.

The countries that remain on the list are: Finland, Norway, Italy, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovak Republic (Slovakia), Greece and Greenland. 

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin said they are continuing to advise people that “the safest thing they can do, in terms of their own health and the health of the country, is to stay in Ireland.” 

No new additions have been made to the list.

The removal of the countries from the list was welcomed by the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA), with its President and Managing Director of Shandon Travel, Michael Doorley, saying the Association welcomed “anything that reduces down the possibility of Covid coming into the country as a result of people travelling.” 

Mr Doorley said that just two of the countries which were removed from the list were really of interest to travellers here, but that there just isn’t a demand for travel at the moment.

“Malta and Cyprus are the two that would have been of interest but realistically and factually, the public has no appetite for travel at the minute so it doesn't really impinge on us very much.

“Travel agents across the country have pretty much written off 2020 as a year that’s gone and done and dusted.

“You could add another ten countries to the green list and it wouldn't make a huge difference because of consumer appetite for travel is so low,” Mr Doorley said.

The Cork-based ITAA President said however that there is a huge pent up demand for travel.

 “Generally, what we are finding people are saying is that they are not going to travel this year, but will definitely go away next year,” he said.