Woman who took legal challenge in hotel quarantine released after negative Covid test

over 4 years in The Irish Times

An Irish woman who took a legal challenge while in mandatory hotel quarantine has been released following a negative coronavirus test.
Emma Kelly, who has been fully vaccinated, left the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin on Tuesday evening, The Irish Times understands.
The 30-year-old woman had been in hotel quarantine since she arrived home from Dubai on April 3rd to assist her mother as her father undergoes surgery for cancer.
The High Court heard on Tuesday that she would be allowed to leave the hotel if her Covid-19 test, which was taken that morning, returned a negative result.
Mr Justice Brian O’Moore, who noted there was at that stage no guarantee as to the test’s outcome, had directed an inquiry under Article 40.4.2 into Ms Kelly’s detention.
Ms Kelly is fully vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine and had received two negative coronavirus tests before her departure for Ireland, her solicitor, Michael French, told the High Court on Monday. She had also tested negative for Covid-19 when she underwent a further PCR test here on April 4th, her second day of quarantine.
She would have been legally permitted to exit quarantine on Monday, April 12th, had she received a negative PCR test that day but hotel staff had failed to test her that day in line with their obligations under the relevant legislation, Mr French said.
Ms Kelly had been informed she would not receive a PCR test until Tuesday, April 13th, and would only be permitted to exit the hotel the following day, April 14th, he said.
Ms Kelly had submitted three requests for review of her mandatory quarantine under the Health Act but those had been denied, the court heard.
The case is listed to appear before Mr Justice O’Moore on Wednesday morning.

Mentioned in this news
Share it on