(Adds French minister says may be problems accepting rapid
tests from arrivals from Ireland)
DUBLIN, Jan 17 (Reuters) - France is considering requiring
rapid COVID-19 tests from Irish truck drivers operating on a
logistics route that has become key since Britain's exit from
the European Union, Ireland's transport minister said on Sunday.
Large numbers of Irish trucks have begun transporting goods
via ferries to France in recent weeks to avoid delays in the
more traditional route to continental Europe via Britain, which
withdrew from EU trading rules on Jan. 1.
The new measures would be targeted at a more infectious
variant of the coronavirus first discovered in England but that
has become widespread in Ireland.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan told RTE that France was
considering demanding a PCR COVID-19 test, which can take
several days, from most Irish travellers. Ireland is demanding
similar tests from all arriving passengers.
France is also considering demanding a much quicker antigen
test, which can give results in minutes, from Irish truck
drivers.
"If the French government comes back with that requirement,
we would have to manage that and make sure we can do it in a way
that doesn't disrupt supply chains," Ryan told RTE radio. "That
would be demanding but I am confident we will be able to do it."
A demand from France for COVID-19 tests from British drivers
caused significant delays and trade disruption in December.
France on Friday announced that people travelling from
non-EU countries to France would be required to present negative
PCR COVID-19 test, but that an antigen test would be sufficient
from British truck drivers.
Ireland is a member of the European Union, but not of the
Schengen free travel area.
France's European Affairs minister Clement Beaune said on
Sunday that Paris would be holding consultations this week to
"strengthen control measures within the European area."
But he warned it may be difficult to accept rapid antigen
tests from Irish drivers.
"Between France and Ireland, PCR tests work because we have
the same ones; antigenic tests do not work because Ireland does
not yet recognise them," he said.
(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Additional reporting by John
Irish; Editing by Toby Chopra and Susan Fenton)