GARDAÍ will be out in force in Killarney and throughout Kerry this weekend to enforce new emergency legislation to prevent people from making unnecessary Easter weekend journeys over the permitted 2km limit for essential trips.
They now have the powers to arrest and detain members of the public who ignore advice from the health authorities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Health Minister Simon Harris and the Attorney General last night signed off the measures to give gardai the power to arrest and detain those breaching the 2km restriction and convictions could result a six-month prison sentence and/or a €2,500 fine.
Members of the public have been told that they must stay at home, except to collect essential goods or to avail of brief exercise within 2km of their home, and the emergency legislation will be initially in force until Sunday and it is likely to be extended.
On Tuesday Killarney Municipal District Councilmember, Cllr Donal Grady, contacted KillarneyToday.com to voice his concerns that many people were blatantly ignoring the 2km rule.
He said the problem was caused by the new legislation not being signed and he called on the ministers involved to do so without delay to prevent people from travellign the country, to holiday homes and other attractions, during the bank holiday weekend,
“There are also people bunching in estates and they are paying no heed in the world when they are approached by gardaí who try to disperse them. They are not maintaining social distance requests,” he said.
Cllr Grady said gardai had informed him that their hands were tied without the legislation being signed into law.
“We don’t want to see people being convicted but, if there is no other choice, then we must protect the people. I’m very concerned,” he said.
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