Political Correspondent Professional and elite athletes could receive an exemption from mandatory hotel quarantine, under plans being worked on by the Departments of Health and Sport. If signed off, the deal could allow France travel to Dublin this weekend for their Women's Six Nations match against Ireland, while the Leinster rugby team could travel to La Rochelle for their Heineken Champions Cup semi-final in a couple of weeks. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said he was in the process of "putting in place an exemption specifically for professional and elite athletes". However it's understood the plan does not involve a full exemption from quarantine.