People who hold St Patrick’s Day parties ‘face fines or prosecution’

People who throw St Patrick’s Day parties have been warned they face fines or prosecution as the Government issued a reminder that organised gatherings are banned under the current Covid-19 restrictions.

Senior Government official Liz Canavan made the remarks on Wednesday saying such parties would "put lives at risk" as she encouraged people to consider finding new ways to celebrate the national holiday.

She said that St Patrick’s Day will be marked “in a very different way than we hoped we would. It won’t be possible to gather with friends and there’ll be no parades but that doesn’t mean there will be no spectacle to enjoy.”

The assistant secretary general of the Department of the Taoiseach said that there are reports that house parties and street parties are being arranged and she added: "Organising parties, gatherings and flouting the guidance would be a blatant disregard for all we have endured to this point. "It puts lives at risk, it puts the rollout of our vaccination programme at risk, and ultimately it puts our progress on the path to recovery at risk."

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Ms Canavan said: “We want to remind you that no organised activity is permitted under the current restrictions. “Anyone found to be in breach may face a fine or a prosecution.” She says planning is taking place for a “wonderful St Patrick’s Day Festival” but “we will have to enjoy it safely and responsibly from our homes.”

There will be six days of festival programming broadcast on Oireachtas TV which is available in more than a million homes and Ms Canavan urged families and carers to help loved ones to find the channel and download TV guides. Programmes will include traditional music sessions, theatre and story-telling. She asked that people "explore new ways to celebrate" St Patrick's Day suggesting that homes be decorate or people connect with family abroad online.

Compliance

Separately, Ms Canavan said that overall compliance with public health guidance remains strong and this has been evident from the Government’s Social Activity Measure (SAM) study.

But she also said the results from this and other data show increases in mobility and social contact. There has been a “big jump” in the number of people moving around in the last month.

Retail and recreation mobility is up 16 per cent, workplace mobility is up 7 per cent and footfall in Dublin City is up 29 per cent which was said to represent nearly 900,000 people. Ms Canavan said travel volumes increased in every county.

“Of course it’s understandable that numbers would increase with our children returning to schools and creches but it’s very important that we continue to stay at home unless it is for an essential purpose.” There was an increase in close contacts in outdoor locations from 1.1 per cent to 6.2 per cent. Ms Canavan said: “It is worth remembering that while outdoors is safer than indoors, it is not risk free. Try to stick to the two-metre rule and wear a mask if you can’t do that and it is very crowded.”

The Grand Marshal for this year’s virtual St Patrick’s Festival will be comedian Tara Flynn.