Health Official Casts Doubt Over International Travel At Christmas

The Chief Medical Officer says international travel could be riskier in the weeks before Christmas than it is now.

Final arrangements are being made to roll out the EU's traffic light system here on Sunday, which will see countries branded green, red or orange.

Dr Tony Holohan has told the Transport Committee that international travel is simply unsafe and the risk is likely to increase in the weeks before Christmas.

The traffic light system will see different rules apply depending on what colour country passengers are arriving from, but are likely to include testing passengers and asking them to restrict their movements for a period of time.

Dr Holohan says its impossible to say now if public health officials will be able to change its stance on non-essential travel in time for Christmas.