Image: FlickerLeo Varadkar says it didn’t work out in other countries.
The Tanaiste says a mandatory quarantine for people when they come into Ireland isn’t legal or practical.
There have been increased calls to force people into quarantine when they arrive from coronavirus hotspots rather than just asking them.
The Acting Chief Medical Officer said it would be a ‘desirable measure.
However, the Tánaiste told Newstalk Breakfast that the HSE, Department of Health and rest of Government have insisted it can't be done.
He said: "It's a high possibility [the pandemic] will go on for years until we've a vaccine or an effective treatment, and it's just not practical to cut ourselves off to international travel for that long - whether it's business, leisure, essential workers, people visiting friends and relatives, people coming home.
"The objective was to flatten the curve, suppress the virus... it was never to eliminate the virus. New Zealand thought they'd done that, and they haven't - they now have new cases every day.
"Australia tried mandatory quarantine, and it turned out to be a bit of a disaster.
"The centres, the hotels in which they quarantine people became clusters for infection, and now Melbourne's in a second lockdown."
