A Waterford travel agent says last night's announcement is just a step but it's better than nothing.
The Taoiseach confirmed that Ireland will adopt the digital green cert and allow international travel from the 19th of July.
The cert is designed to prove that a person has either been vaccinated, received a negative test, or recovered from Covid.
Seán Power of Harvey Travel in Waterford says the green cert is a welcome introduction:
"Yes, I think anything that clarifies the situation for people [is to be welcomed], because as you know, there's been lots of confusion and lots of different comments from different ministers, different scientists and so on and so forth.
"Not alone are we mixed up but I can imagine that the clients are mixed up as well.
"It's good to see a common denominator and the European Certificate will be that."
Seán says he is also starting to see people make inquiries about holidays for later in the year now:
"Well, we've had people this week, for the first time, asking about going away in October and November and maybe at Christmas or early in the New Year.
"There hasn't been too much interest in July and August of this year.
"I think the mindset of people to book a holiday is usually in January or February for the summer season, but that was naturally bypassed this year, so we'll have to wait and see.
"We can begin to maybe put something together."
The Irish Travel Agents Association has said the last 16 months has been particularly tough for those working in that sector and have broadly welcomed the announcement about the return or non-essential international travel.
But with warnings of the dangers of the Indian Covid variant, Seán Power says he's cautiously optimistic:
"I think that we have to be cautious from the point of view of other countries in Europe, I suppose.
"It's not just your own country that you have to think about - you have to think about what's going on in other places and we have to take guidance from our health authorities in relation to that.
"But it's good to see some loosening up at the moment, and let's just see what happens over the next few months."
