Digital Desk Staff
The general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeant and Inspectors (AGSI) has warned that any easing of the 5km travel restriction will make policing the pandemic even more challenging.
As the Irish Examiner reports, the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is due to meet this morning to give their latest recommendations to the Government.
It is expected that any easing of restrictions on April 5 will be announced tomorrow.
Easing of the 5km travel limit and on the number of people who can meet outdoors are expected to be among the restrictions that are eased.
Antoinette Cunningham said that changes to the 5km limit mean the public will think they can move more freely which “is going to make the job even more challenging”.
Speaking to RTÉ’s , Ms Cunningham also repeated a call for members of the force to be vaccinated, especially those working with mandatory quarantine.
She said it was her understanding that the security firm involved, along with hotel staff and members of the defence forces involved in mandatory quarantine were being vaccinated, but gardaí were not.
High risk
It was not fair to expect gardaí to attend to any situation that occurred in hotels being used for mandatory quarantine and to then return to the community. There was a very high risk attending such situations, she said.
“Policing in Covid is becoming more difficult, more challenging, more dangerous.”
Ms Cunningham said gardaí had a “big part to play” in enforcing the Health Act 2021 and in ensuring the regulations were complied with.
In figures issued on Friday, the Gardaí revealed that almost 17,000 fines related to Covid-19 breaches have been issued.
Gardaí have issued 12,336 €100 fines for non-essential travel and 313 fines of €100 for non-essential travel by persons not ordinarily resident in the State.
Some 554 fines have been issued for organising a house party and 2,159 fines have been issued for attending such an event.
There is a €500 fine for organising a house party, while the fine for attending one is €150.
“Unfortunately, despite the constant public health advice, we are still seeing people attending house parties and other large social gatherings,” said Deputy Commissioner for Policing and Security, Anne Marie McMahon.
“Going to such gatherings puts yourself, your loved ones, and everyone else you come into contact with after of getting Covid-19."
