UKC

If I travel to Ireland via Northern Ireland, do I have to isolate for 14 days?  I cannot find the answer to this question on the UK or Irish gov websites.  Perhaps someone here will know the answer?!

I have found that:

Anyone entering Ireland from the UK (except Northern Ireland) has to isolate for 14 days.

Anyone entering Ireland from NI does not have to isolate for 14 days.

But the specific scenario of travelling from UK to NI and then on to Ireland is not covered anywhere.

The rules for those returning from France include those coming in via Belgium or Netherlands too. You are looking to enter Ireland (via NI) from the UK, so it would be sensible to assume you will have to isolate.

That's because a lot of people live and work cross border. 

Short version - you can cross ROI to NI and back with no issues.

Unless you are exempt then it will be necessary to "restrict your movements" for 14 days (https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus/) when you arrive in the Republic. The provision relating to free movement across the border is to facilitate living/working arrangements for people living on the island as Greg has stated.

Thanks - I realised that the exemption is to allow people living and working on opposite sides of the border, but it really isn't clear if that exemption also applies to someone who has come from England to NI, spent a few days in NI and then crossed over to Ireland.  But if that person had gone straight from England to Ireland they would have to isolate for 14 days.

Anyway, we have abandoned the idea of climbing in Ireland, in favour of Jersey which will have better weather.