It will be “months not weeks” before there is a return to normal travel within the European Union, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told parliament on Thursday.

He said Ireland was committed to preserving the EU’s policy of allowing citizens to travel, study and work elsewhere in the continent.

“While these rights may be restricted for a time due to the pandemic and public health emergency, it is our policy to resume normal travel for business, leisure, study and visits to friends and relatives as soon as it is safe to do so, but not before,” he said.

“This is something the European Commission is currently working on,” the prime minister said.

However, it’s going to be months not weeks before this is possible,” he added

Varadkar said anyone arriving at Irish ports or airports must self-isolate for 14 days unless they meet the criteria for an exemption.

His remarks come a day after the European Union unveiled an action plan to get its internal borders reopening, safely fire up its hospitality sector and to revive rail, road, air and sea connections that have been strangled during the pandemic.