Garda to take light touch in enforcing new coronavirus measures

Gardaí are to use a mixture of persuasion and existing public order legislation to enforce social distancing protocols outlined by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Tuesday in order to combat coronavirus.

The Taoiseach said gatherings of more than four people outside the home should not take place, unless they comprise people from the same household. A raft of businesses and “non-essential” retail outlets were also ordered to close.

Members of the force said yesterday they were still awaiting instructions on specifics but that it appears the new regulations and recommendations do not significantly alter their powers or their approach to dealing with the coronavirus crisis.

Unlike in other European countries where lockdown measures have been enacted, gardaí will not have the power to issue fines to those congregating in groups of more than four or undertaking non-essential travel.

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Instead, members will advise people gathering in groups of more than four people to break into smaller groups or return to their homes. In some cases existing public order legislation may be used to disperse large groups, but gardaí are to be advised to use this only as a last resort.

‘Persuasion rather than coercion’

“We will be operating through persuasion rather than coercion, catching more flies with honey,” a senior garda said following Mr Varadkar’s address to the nation on Tuesday.

“If we see a group of people walking in a park they will be advised to break up or go home. That’s what we have been doing to date without a problem. We’ll now be doing a lot more of it.”

While gardaí will generally be unable to penalise or detain people breaching social distancing protocols in public places, they will be able to close down events and public gatherings under emergency legislation passed last week.

This legislation also gives the Garda the power to assist medical workers in detaining people at risk of infecting others with the virus if they refuse to self-isolate.

However, gardaí have yet to be briefed on whether and how these powers should be used.

Over the next 72 hours, gardaí will likely ramp up high-visibility policing and public outreach in a bid to get people to abide by social distancing protocols, a Garda spokesman said.

Members will also be tasked with making sure shops and order businesses have closed in line with the new measures announced by the Taoiseach.

Increased presence

In his address announcing a range of new measures to reduce the spread of the virus, which is also known as Covid-19, Mr Varadkar said there will be an “increased presence of park rangers and gardaí in parks and public places to ensure physical distancing is being observed”.

"In Ireland, since independence, we have always had policing by consent rather than coercion. I don't intend for that to change now. That's not our way. The new powers afforded to the gardaí will be used sparingly and only when necessary."

Separately, the Irish Prison Service has introduced stricter limits on inmate visits in an effort to prevent an outbreak of Covid-19 in the prison system. Under new regulations announced on Tuesday, just one person may visit a prisoner per week. Under-18s and those displaying symptoms of the disease will not be permitted to visit.

The IPS said it cannot disclose whether any inmates have contracted the virus but it is understood there are, as yet, no confirmed cases. A handful of prisoners have been placed in isolation as a precautionary measure.

Earlier this month the IPS released some 200 prisoners on temporary release to free up space and reduce the risk of an outbreak.