A new traffic light system is expected to replace the list next month.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is to update the so-called ‘Green List’ of countries from where people arriving into Ireland do not have to restrict their movements.
Sweden, Germany, Iceland, Poland and others will be among the countries to be added to the list when the it is updated next Monday.
A number of countries are also set to be removed from the list when its updated next week including Greece and Italy.
However, the Green List is to be shelved completely next month in favour of a new EU wide ‘traffic light’ plan.
The plan is currently in the works and there is expectation it will be finalised at the EU’s General Affairs Council in mid-October.
Under the plan, countries and regions would be given either a red, orange or green colour, representative of the incidence of Covid-19 in the area.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control will publish the maps outlining the colours of the regions, which will be updated each week.
Ryanair was critical of the news which it called “more delay and indecision” from the government and NPHET.
“Irish aviation and tourism cannot delay another week or month (to Oct 13) while Micheál Martin dithers and delays or while NPHET mismanages Ireland’s test and tracing system,” the airline said in a statement.
“Irish aviation and jobs are being sacrificed to cover up NPHET’s failure to keep our Covid rate as low as Germany and Italy, both of whom have allowed intra EU air travel since 1 July while NPHET has kept Ireland locked up like North Korea.”
