The Dáil Éireann, Ireland's lower house, earlier this week passed legislation which will require customers at indoor hospitality venues to present proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

This can take the form of paper documentation or a European Union digital COVID-19 certificate.

The bill will now pass to the Seanad Éireann, the Irish upper house, for formal approval, with the Seanad unable to veto legislation.

McEvoy has informed his team mates and coaches that he will no longer represent the country because of the plans.

He forwarded a copy of his resignation email to radio host Richie Allen, who read it on his show and published it in full online.

"This is directly attributed to the recent bill passed in the Irish government on Wednesday night/Thursday morning," the email read.

“Ireland is now, officially, a Medical apartheid/Fascist State in line with the wider global control grid.

"The group of people acting as the Irish Government has been allowed, by our citizens, Gardaí and the Irish defence forces to erode our rights given to us under the Irish constitution, the UN declaration of human rights and have broken the Nuremberg code.

"Our inalienable rights have also been eroded over the past 16 months, which are given to us by God, not government."

McEvoy, who represented the Irish national ice hockey team for 13 years, also added: "I can no longer represent a country that has approved of the discrimination and segregation between vaccinated people and unvaccinated people."

He said he would continue to refuse a COVID-19 vaccination, but hoped to rejoin the team if the legislation were to be reversed.

Ireland's coronavirus-related restrictions have been among the most severe in Europe for much of this year, and it was the only country to pull out of host UEFA European Championship matches because it could not guarantee that fans would be able to attend. 

Bilbao also withdrew, but Spain kept those matches as they were relocated to Seville.