Gardaí are urging people to consider whether their journey is essential over the coming weeks.
Long tailbacks formed across the country this morning in Waterford, due to the resumption of COVID checkpoints.
The high visibility Garda operation is in place, to encourage people to follow Level 3 restrictions which came into effect today.
People are being asked not to travel out of their county, unless it's essential.
Inspector Gavin Hegarty from Waterford Gardaí spoke to Aoife Kearns at a checkpoint near Carriganore in Waterford City today.
Waterford Gardaí are urging people who have to make essential trips to allow extra time for their journey as checkpoints will be in operation over the next few weeks. @kearns_aoife reports from Carriganore. Read more here: https://t.co/snQEiXPvif pic.twitter.com/NdMxgetMZK
— WLR (@wlrfm) October 7, 2020
He said that there are checkpoints in place across the county, including at the county borders:
"For Waterford we have four checkpoints in around the city but we also have checkpoints around the county as far as Youghal Bridge, Ballyduff and up near Carrick-On Suir near the borders , and entry and exit points into Waterford.
"This checkpoint at Carriganore is covering people who are coming over the Thomas Francis Meagher Bridge from South Kilkenny, Wexford or South Tipperary."
Inspector Hegarty explains what the Garda Operation is all about:
"It's all about encouraging people to comply with the guidelines and to edcuate them as to what exactly the guidelines mean.
"That's what we're trying to do here today - to engage with our communities and to educate them and to encourage them so that we don't have to escalate.
People who have to make essential trips are being encouraged to allow extra time for their journies as checkpoints will be in operation over the next few weeks.
"Give yourself a little bit of extra time - we are going to be on the roads, they're static, they're not moving so there going to be some extra delays
"Don't be in a position where you're trying to rush or you're in a hurry to get somewhere. Then you're delayed by a checkpoint and you could end up rushing somewhere else and could get into trouble for speeding or even worse getting into an accident.
"So what we're asking people to do is to allow a bit of extra time. You are going to get stopped at these checkpoints, you're going to be asked what the purpose of your journey is. You are going to be encouraged to conform with the guidelines and it's important that everyone does comply."
Inspector Hegarty commended the effort people in Waterford have put in, in tackling the virus. He said:
"The people of Waterford have been doing very well a couple of weeks ago we were in a very different place in terms of the virus. We'd like to keep going in that direction and we'd like the whole country to go in that direction."
"If we act together and come together we might actually beat this thing."
