First travellers arrive at quarantine hotel – with one appearing to resist security’s escort efforts

Travellers from Dublin Airport were brought to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry in two separate groups, arriving at the hotel just one hour after their flight landed.

One woman, claiming to be Irish, appeared to initially resist security’s efforts to be escorted into the hotel.

The woman seemingly refused to exit the bus for a number of minutes and had to be escorted inside.

The first bus arrived at the hotel at approximately 12.35pm, just one hour after a flight from Dubai landed on Irish soil.

The three passengers on the first bus, a man and two women, arrived at the hotel on a bus escorted by Defence Forces.

A second bus, also escorted, arrived shortly afterwards carrying a total of 17 passengers, including two families.

Defence Forces stood at the entrance to the hotel as the passengers departed the bus.

Hotel security were also on hand to ensure passengers arrived at the hotel safely.

The travellers are required to stay 12 nights at the quarantine hotel.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel is the first facility available to travellers arriving into the country.

The passengers flew into Dublin Airport from Dubai at 11:25am.

Guests will be supervised by private security during their stay and will be permitted to go outside for air and exercise once they present a negative PCR test.

Mandatory quarantine applies to all passengers travelling from, or transiting through, designated high risk states, regardless of nationality, as well as passengers who arrive from any location not in receipt of a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior of their arrival in Ireland.

However, once these passengers then provide a negative PCR test they can conduct their quarantine at home.

Travellers are expected to pay for their quarantine service. According to the portal that went live during the week, the rate for a standard package of 12 nights inclusive of all services for one adult is €1875.

The additional rate for one adult sharing or a child over 12 is €625 and the additional rate for a child sharing aged 4-12 is €360. Infants under 3 years of age are free.

The day rate for those entering the country from non-designated states with without a negative PCR test starts at €150.

Minister Donnelly confirmed this week that it is an offence for people to exit the hotel before the official end of their quarantine.

“It is an offence to leave, so what would happen is the hotel operator would contact the gardaí and they intervene,” he said.