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Gardaí in Donegal launch dedicated phone line for reporting Covid breaches

Public health officials have reported outbreaks in the county linked to social gatherings.

GARDAÍ IN DONEGAL have set up a dedicated phone line for reporting breaches of Covid-19 guidelines. 

Over the weekend Health Minister Stephen Donnelly met with public health officials, the HSE and Donegal politicians to discuss additional supports for the country, which has seen its Covid-19 incidence rate creep well over the national average. 

The national 14-day incidence rate is 134.1 per 100,000 people, according to today’s figures, while the latest incidence rate in Donegal stands at 306.5 cases per 100,000 people.

Last week Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said public health officials were reporting “reasonably widespread non-compliance with basic measures”. 

Speaking to Highland Radio today, Garda Gráinne Doherty said the Covid-19 figures in Donegal remain a concern:

Public health officials have reported that a number of Covid-19 outbreaks in Donegal have been linked to young people organising parties among themselves at various locations and this also includes beach parties, birthday occasion parties being organised for all age groups, older secondary school pupils  – and perhaps some younger secondary school pupils too – congregating socially, wakes being held in contravention of the guidelines and social gatherings being organised after funerals.

She said the dedicated phone line, based at Letterkenny garda station, has been set up to make it easier for members of the public across the county to make gardaí aware of these types of gatherings. 

“If you are aware of a party this is being organised or if you know if any other event taking place we want you – we urge you – to call this number and let us know,” she said.

People can report a gathering they believe is a breach of the public health guidelines by calling 074 91 67101.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    May 4th 2021, 6:05 PM

    That’s terrible. Getting people to turn on each other. I know people should be adhering to Covid guidelines but this will only create hostility towards neighbours and Gardaí.

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    May 4th 2021, 6:08 PM

    @Dave Barrett: No word of the 2 big outbreaks in a few schools over the last 10 days around the County. Suppose they are not allowed to say that so let’s blame a few meeting up

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    Mute Diar O Doc
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    May 4th 2021, 6:10 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: the school outbreaks started with 6th year students having a house party to celebrate a birthday, they then brought it into the school and back home to their families.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    May 4th 2021, 6:20 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: Youghal in Cork. Student birthday party. Where were the parents. Party over. Back to school and spread away.

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    Mute Jason Walsh
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    May 4th 2021, 6:34 PM

    @Dave Barrett: there is always some miserable curtain twitcher that is happy to dob in a neighbor

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    Mute .
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    May 4th 2021, 6:40 PM

    @Diar O Doc: the outbreak actually started in Wuhan last December if your looking for people to blame

    62
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    Mute offtheball
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    May 4th 2021, 6:48 PM

    @Dave Barrett: same thing happened in Nenagh causing the full closure of one school and the three senior years in the other school at home for two weeks. Hard to blame the teenagers but again what were the parents at?

    44
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    Mute Kevin50
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    May 4th 2021, 6:55 PM

    @Dave Barrett: the parents actually organised the party…

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    May 4th 2021, 8:20 PM

    @Kevin50: says a lot then!

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    May 4th 2021, 8:22 PM

    @Jason Walsh: yeah! Irish thing. Dob thy neighbour.

    13
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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    May 4th 2021, 9:28 PM

    @Diar O Doc: certainly not the case for them all, certainly the ones local to me.

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    Mute Jakie McLean
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    May 4th 2021, 9:35 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: Im aware of two schools in different towns where it was partying that caused a significant outbreak in both. Then passed onto primary school siblings and classmates.

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 4th 2021, 6:12 PM

    Excellent response by the Gardaí. Time for Donegal to take responsibility for their actions rather than trying to blame HSE and others.

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    Mute Gareth Keenan
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    May 4th 2021, 6:46 PM

    @Fionn Darland: sorry I must have missed it, who is blaming the HSE exactly?

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    Mute Tarraing Mo Liathróidí
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    May 4th 2021, 9:19 PM

    @Fionn Darland: who is blaming the HSE again exactly or is that just something ya threw in for the rant

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 5th 2021, 12:04 PM

    @Gareth Keenan: Yea – they were blaming lack of walk in test centres, lack of vaccination centres – as if not having loads of those caused the house parties!

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 5th 2021, 12:19 PM

    @Tarraing Mo Liathróidí: Big P Mac was on the news giving out about HSE and lack of various test and vaccination centres.

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    Mute David Lee
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    May 4th 2021, 6:15 PM

    I’ve seen this in a history book somewhere when I was in 5th year, neighbours and people you thought were friends would rat you out to the authorities for doing something innocent the government suddenly made illegal. Hmm

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    Mute MiseBean
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    May 4th 2021, 6:49 PM

    @David Lee: BS

    56
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    Mute IrelandForChange
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    May 4th 2021, 6:05 PM

    Can you report how badly managed the last 12 months have been by this Government? Or is it only the small & voiceless people on pup payments in the middle of a ridiculously long lockdown that they want to hear about “breaching Covid restrictions” ?

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    Mute David A. Murray
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    May 4th 2021, 6:30 PM

    @IrelandForChange: The government’s responses have left a good deal to be desired. Sections of the Irish public have done worse.

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    Mute Ríain HenC
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    May 4th 2021, 6:01 PM

    My sincerest condolences to those manning the phones !

    143
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    May 4th 2021, 6:25 PM

    1 person in Donegal in ICU and no hospital admissions yesterday. Cases mean less and less.

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    Mute Jakie McLean
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    May 4th 2021, 9:38 PM

    @Dave Harris: look at the school numbers. Luckily they are in an age group that dont usually end up in ICU but keeping the virus in the community could lead to increases in admissions but hopefully not new variants.

    7
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    Mute Eddie Michael
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    May 4th 2021, 6:02 PM

    Open the pubs and you won’t have to waste taxpayers money and gardai resources ….

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 5th 2021, 2:21 PM

    @Eddie Michael: For underaged school children?

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    Mute Luke Campion
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    May 4th 2021, 6:15 PM

    Divide and conquer

    105
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    Mute plug
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    May 4th 2021, 8:25 PM

    @Luke Campion: that’s the game,look over there, covid !!!!!as the elected spend my child’s future,they will tax them to death./

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    Mute Luke Campion
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    May 4th 2021, 9:11 PM

    @plug: Not just our kids but our grandkids too, that’s the worst part. Anyone need some more junior advisors?, my neighbours aunties godchild is looking for a job. Watching reeling in the years recently? It’s coming close to looking out the window at the minute. Usually do my best to be optimistic but sure I’m just tired now, like many I’d imagine.

    11
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    Mute Gazza Lazza
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    May 4th 2021, 6:56 PM

    Did I just wake up in the 1950’s??

    “Tell your government if your neighbour is a Commie”…..jfc…..

    I’d face palm but my face is too sore from the amount of face palming due to government actions/inactions over the past year alone……

    99
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    Mute Paul Cunningham
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    May 4th 2021, 6:26 PM

    @RadioMikeOBrien: This wouldn’t need to be in place if they had cop on and followed the rules.

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    Mute HearMeNow33
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    May 4th 2021, 6:08 PM

    Lines Open: Mon – Fri 10.00am – 4.00pm
    (Closed for Lunch 12.30 – 2.00pm)

    71
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    Mute Noel Doherty
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    May 4th 2021, 6:15 PM

    @HearMeNow33: Is flexitime available

    21
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    Mute Honeybee
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    May 4th 2021, 6:28 PM

    @Noel Doherty: Probably a cell phone……

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    Mute Declan Sweeney
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    May 4th 2021, 6:46 PM

    @HearMeNow33:
    Typical what good are them times, u at home and at 2am their 50 to 100 young people in the house next door, the 6 months old baby is crying and u can’t get it to sleep, what blood hell good is it at 10am on the Monday morning. It should be night time, but at night time u hear of neighbours ringing the cops about parties going on and the cops dont respond.

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    Mute Peter McCabe
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    May 4th 2021, 7:11 PM

    @HearMeNow33: Ah! Here!

    2
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    Mute Jakie McLean
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    May 4th 2021, 9:41 PM

    @Declan Sweeney: Yes a phone line active when they are all in school sitting one metre apart with the wind blowing through their hair from the open windows letting in the gale force winds. Mizen Head to Malin Head force 10.

    7
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    Mute Eoin Fitzgerald
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    May 4th 2021, 6:04 PM

    They will be talking to every Biddy and Bridie in the county

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    Mute Lisa Jones
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    May 4th 2021, 6:11 PM

    @Eoin Fitzgerald: And Eoin and John and Steve and Paul?

    28
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    Mute Joan Grennan
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    May 4th 2021, 11:36 PM

    @Eoin Fitzgerald: what about Brian and Barney then ?

    3
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    Mute Alan Wilson
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    May 4th 2021, 6:25 PM

    The numbers don’t matter any more look at the hospitals letterkenny and Sligo today 3 in ICU 5 in total THEY said young people won’t be affected and there right

    55
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    Mute Madra
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    May 4th 2021, 6:40 PM

    I wish they had this where I live. I’ve a list as long as my arm of people going mad letting people into their home, drinking constantly out the back and then inside. Let alone allowing every family member over. And then people walking into local shops without a mask? Varied ages too. It’s getting to me at this stage.

    47
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    Mute Tarraing Mo Liathróidí
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    May 4th 2021, 9:22 PM

    They can’t even have a Garda at our local station to answer the phones 1 day a week, but we can have a dedicated number for parties in Donegal, Jesus lads the government will have no cover when all this is over and cuts to Garda resources no doubt kicks in again, cos its seems with covid we could have the best and most resourced police force in the world as long as their job had the word covid or restrictions attached to their roles

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    Mute ed w
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    May 4th 2021, 11:05 PM

    @Tarraing Mo Liathróidí: dont worry most of the garda stations in donegal are closed as well

    10
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    Mute Gazza Lazza
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    May 4th 2021, 6:56 PM

    Did I just wake up in the 1950’s??

    “Tell your government if your neighbour is a Commie”…..jfc…..

    I’d face palm but my face is too sore from the amount of face palming due to government actions/inactions over the past year alone……

    25
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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 4th 2021, 6:47 PM

    @RadioMikeOBrien: We don’t all subscribe to OCG style justice!

    23
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    Mute Gazza Lazza
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    May 4th 2021, 6:56 PM

    Did I just wake up in the 1950’s??

    “Tell your government if your neighbour is a Commie”…..jfc…..

    I’d face palm but my face is too sore from the amount of face palming due to government actions/inactions over the past year alone……

    15
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    Mute Denis Ryan
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    May 4th 2021, 6:59 PM

    @Gazza Lazza: You can say that again.

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    Mute Go On
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    May 4th 2021, 7:17 PM

    Snitches get stitches

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    Mute Melissa OHara
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    May 4th 2021, 8:20 PM

    Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey!

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    Mute JuPooh
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    May 5th 2021, 4:16 PM
    1
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