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LAST UPDATE | 8 Feb 2021
PEOPLE TRAVELLING FROM Northern Ireland into the Republic are being turned back at the border if they do not have an essential reason for travel.
A number of Garda checkpoints were operating along the border today to enforce the new Covid-19 regulations.
People living in Northern Ireland who cross the Irish border without a reasonable excuse face a €100 fine.
One such checkpoint, near Emyvale on the Tyrone-Monaghan border, had seen three motorists turned back this morning.
Inspector Adrian Durcan from the Monaghan Garda Station told the PA News Agency: “We have a checkpoint which is here to enforce the regulations which are currently in existence, to ensure that people comply with the Covid rules.
“From 7 o’clock this morning, we’re here to advise people that anybody who is not ordinarily resident in this state, they are now liable to a fine of €100, if they are travelling without an essential reason to be here.”
Inspector Durcan said no fines have been issued so far, but that some people have been turned back.
He said: “We have engaged with a few people who have not had essential reasons and on the advice of the guards, they have turned back.
“People have turned back when requested. I think it was three so far this morning.”
Under current Covid-19 restrictions, gardaí have been to carrying out static checkpoints on national roads, as well as other mobile checkpoints and high visibility patrols in areas such as parks and scenic locations.
An Garda Síochána has also been carrying out checkpoints on access roads to airports and ports, as well as in departure areas, to check on whether people travelling to these locations are undertaking an essential journey.
Travelling to an airport or port to take a holiday abroad isn’t an essential journey, gardaí said.
Between 29 January and 5 February, gardaí have issued approximately 375 fines at Dublin Airport to people for leaving the country for non-essential travel.
People issued with a Covid-19 related fine have 28 days to pay the fine.
An Garda Síochána has a process in place with the Courts Service where anyone who fails to pay their fine within 28 days will receive a court date shortly after.
While it’s a matter for the court to decide, gardaí said the failure to pay the FPN can result in conviction for a first offence in the District Court in a fine of €1,000 and/or imprisonment. The gardaí highlighted that courts are open to reporting by local and national media.
As of last Friday, six people are due before District Courts in March for non-payment of a Covid-19 fine. They will appear before courts in Dublin, Cork, Meath, Waterford and Limerick.
House parties
In a statement on Friday, gardaí confirmed that they have intervened with house parties across the country, with in excess of 300 fines issued for either organising or attending a house party.
The fine for organising a house party is €500 and attending a house party is €150.
In addition, gardaí can issue a fine of €500 for organising other relevant events in breach of public health regulations.
Last week, An Garda Síochána also attended breaches of health regulations by licensed premises, restaurants, retail outlets, hair and beauty salons amongst other business premises. In all instances, files will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Elsewhere, gardaí are continuing to investigate potential breaches of public health regulations associated with funerals and weddings.
Gardaí are reminding people that they are only allowed to exercise within 5km of their home. The 5km limit includes the distance travelled from a person’s home to a location for exercise.
“Despite the significant challenges and sacrifices, the vast majority of people continue to comply with the public health advice. We thank them for that and ask them to keep it up,” Deputy Commissioner John Twomey said in a statement on Friday.
“However, there also continues to be a minority who are putting themselves, their loved ones, their friends and their neighbours at risk of getting Covid-19 by not adhering to the regulations,” Twomey said.
“Covid-19 doesn’t switch off so that people can attend parties, or go on holidays, or gather in large groups,” he said.
“The message is clear and has been for some time – people should only make essential journeys, reduce their contacts, practice social distancing and wash their hands. Please stay safe and keep others safe by staying home.”
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Up to now non-residents were not able to be fined, about time this was addressed. I have a checkpoint outside my house most days and there is a stream of Northern registered vehicles passing through, even though I live several hours from the border. I can’t imagine that these are all essential workers in the south.
@Niall O: Is the North to be treated like some sort of leper colony or covid colony.
@Michael Maher: yes, for now
@Hugo Bugo: And what about Dublin with its high case count? Should we seal that off and treat them like lepers?
@Michael Maher: The law should be applied equally to all people. If someone from the South and someone from the North robbed a bank would it be acceptable if the person from the North got left off the hook because the lived over a soft border while the guy from the South went to jail?
@JedBartlett: Don’t be silly…at the end of the day, the 6 counties of the North are a different jurisdiction, no matter what people want to believe. Dublin is in the part of the island under our juridiction.
@Joe_X: Don’t be sil1y, I wasn’t talking about jurisdictions.
I was referring to high case numbers. The north has high case numbers in relation to the republic and Dublin has high case numbers in relation to the rest of the republic.
So why not shut off Dublin if we’re shutting off the north. Same logic.
@JedBartlett: Dublin and all other counties are effectively shut off anyway as we cannot travel more than 5km for non essential reasons.
@JedBartlett: that’s fine by me, stay away if you fell like it. Probably wise to stay away from more densely populated areas. What difference does it make anyway you’re not allowed travel beyond 5k
@JedBartlett: There are checkpoints on all.of the major roads in and out and around the city. They are annoying for sure but they are necessary.
@Michael Maher: no, just having the same rules applied to them, that applies to us, Donald.
@JedBartlett: Yes, you should.
@Niall O: also, what constitutes a “reasonable excuse”? Would a valid reason not be better?
@Karl Mc Cauley: Would you like to see a wall built
Another welcome measure but unfortunately another one that could and should have been done last March
So there is a border
@Michael Maher:? If anything this stops people hiding behind a border to break the law and get away with it
@Michael Maher: VDL will be pleased
@Michael Maher: and very soon, hopefully a hard border..
@Niall O: I’m not sure whether the laws of physics allow hiding behind something invisible…
@Michael Maher: yes. A border between every county in Ireland. You cannot cross any county border under todays rules and regulations. An Garda Siochana will enforce these rules in the 26 counties
@Patrick Short: Good man Pat , what about dancing on beaches could that be allowed.
So if someone from NI gets a ticket and decides not to pay it what then ? Good luck trying to serve the summons on them when they are in the North. Complete waste of time, PR exercise only, . If they had no insurance the car could be seized on the spot, but if they are suspected of having Covid, give them a ticket !. Makes perfect sense.
@Dt125: Better than nothing, hopefully the checkpoints will encourage people not to travel unnecessarily.
Lip service. Unenforceable and ultimately ineffective. The government should just concentrate on getting the vaccination rolled out as quickly as possible.
100 euro is not a deterrent it’s a joke,just like the airport situation.
I think a bigger problem than day trippers going South is Southern shoppers going North. These people go into crowded stores e.g. in Derry to buy non essential items then return to possibly infect their neighbours. They are a bigger danger than someone going for a walk on a largely empty beach.
@James Brown: I get your point. But for somewhere like Inishowen, once the good weather starts, half of Derry lands and the beaches are not so empty anymore. Cars full of kids looking for Ice cream and the toilet and craming into small local shops. That’s the reality of it. It’s putting local peoples lives at risk so you can get a wee day out during Pandemic. Better days will return but until then respect the people who live in the areas you love to visit.
When people are caught in the airports going on holidays and fined, are they then allowed continue on their flight or are they sent home?
@ℂ: They are allowed to continue their journey.
Should be €500
@David Connell: and not €550!?
If you cannot travel, witout valid reason, between Clare and Galway; between Dublin and Wicklow; between Meath and Westmeath, why then should you be allowed travel between Derry and Donegal; Armagh and Monaghan. One island one solution
€100 is a joke , should be €1000.
@Margaret Doyle: Execute on sight
@Margaret Doyle: as opposed to €1100!?
Just a question… I have to take bloods which need to be posted to a lab in London. The samples are likely to turn bad when I post it from the Republic. Can I pass the border to drop the samples in the post in Forkhill? That would save days of post atm
Thanks
@Vanessa: Yes its essential same with people who get prescriptions in N.I.
@Frances Casey: Thank you
@Vanessa: there is no delay in non retail items between here and London. There is delays between Royal mail in NI and Royal mail in GB. Why would you create a problem when there isn’t one there? Driving to forkhill to post a blood sample because you think ‘it will go bad’ is not essential travel. There is nowhere in Ireland that will not accept a UK/NI prescription. Its almost like you guys are trying to create any excuse to travel over 5km rather than sticking with regulation, which is why we had to bring in these checkpoints.
@Brynþór Patrekursson: Checkpoints do not stop essential travel. People’s reasons for posting blood samples or purchasing Prescriptions in the North are none of your business. For some people in border areas it is closer to cross over then go to their nearest town.
So if somebody from the North decides not to pay fine? How are they going to serve any summons from the republic in that jursduction?? No power.. It would be the same visa versa
It’s taken since March for this!!
Should be payable on the spot or car impounded. This is normally how out of state tickets are collected in the US
@Urgencia: are you crazy? They should have to pay on the spot or they are dragged off to prison by the feet and their car is crushed… NO EXCUSES. I can’t believe you are being so lenient. You clearly don’t take this seriously.
@Noel Tate: Where did you escape from you violent little man.
@Noel Tate: go back sleep
@Noel Tate resume your sleep
Name and shame them if the do not pay up. A bit like Stubbs Gazette.
@Irish big fellow: Nobody cares what the neighbour’s think anymore, those days are long gone
How will they actually collect a fine in another jurisdiction?
@Hugh Mc Donnell: I’m not sure of the exact name of it, but don’t we have a mechanism for sharing road traffic offences, fines and penalty points between Ireland and Northern Ireland… if it becomes a problem they might be able to introduce similar legislation.
have your say