Irish authorities will not enforce mask-wearing on passengers flying with international airlines whose home countries have axed the requirement.

The Republic and EU states continue to demand that their airlines require passengers to wear masks onboard aircraft while the US ditched its mandate earlier this month.

A Department of Transport spokeswoman confirmed that the Republic would not enforce its mask-wearing rules on the US and other airlines flying in and out of the country if their home jurisdictions no longer required it.

“It’s up to the airlines,” she said, explaining that they could apply their own terms and conditions on passengers, taking into account whatever rules were in place in the countries to which they were flying.

A department statement noted that “airlines operating in international airspace are subject to the rules of their home state”.

However, the mask rule continues to apply to passengers and crew on Irish carriers while flying out of the Republic and other EU countries.