The head of Ryanair believes short-haul flights around Europe will be the norm by the end of May.
However the Tánaiste says it'll be August at the earliest before international travel can resume.
Ireland is expected to join the EU's green certificate system, which will likely be developed next month.
That will contain details of negative Covid tests and vaccines.
But Leo Varadkar says Ireland won't sign it immediately.
The Tánaiste says we're still a while off international travel returning:
"Realistically I think it's more towards the end of the summer."
"I think it's more likely to be August at the earliest before we'll be able say to people that it's okay to engage in non-essential international travel."
"Of course a lot can go wrong in that time too."
Leo Varadkar says there will be 6 weeks for governments to adopt the EU Green Cert which would meet the timeline he has in mind - EU announces in June, Ireland adopts in August
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) May 17, 2021
It'll Be The Norm Again Soon - O'Leary
Meanwhile Ryanair has reported a full year loss of €815 million during the pandemic.
Chief Executive Michael O'Leary is expecting passenger numbers to be back at 80 percent of pre-Covid levels.
He says the way people will travel is expected to change:
"Short haul foreign travel within Europe will become the norm again by about the end of May to the middle of June."
"Certainly as well by the time the school holidays come around."
