Gardaí to get powers to break up house parties, issue fines

Gardaí will also be able to ask anyone suspected of going to or coming, from a house party to leave an area. If they refuse, they can be fined. Picture: Larry Cummins

As part of tougher Covid-19 measures introduced by the Government, gardaí will be able to impose new fines on people holding house parties.

The cabinet plan to bring in a system of graduated penalties for those found to be in violation of lockdown rules.

As part of the new measures, gardaí will be able to call to a home to disperse a house party.

While they will still be unable to enter any houses without a warrant, they will be able to ask the owner of the property to break up the gathering. 

If the owner fails to do so, the gardaí can then penalise the property owner.

Gardaí will also be able to ask anyone suspected of going to or coming, from a house party to leave an area. If they refuse, they too could receive a fine.

The nature of the fines legislation is all about the kind of house party behaviour that has taken place, amongst a very small number of people

The fine-amount for each specific breach of guidelines is understood to still be under discussion.

It is also expected that people who fail to wear face masks in shops or on public transport, and people who break the soon-to-be-imposed five-kilometre travel limit, could also be liable for fines.

Speaking this afternoon, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe acknowledged that most people were following the rules, and said that the new measures are solely aimed at those who violate guidelines.

He said: "The nature of the fines legislation is all about the kind of house party behaviour that has taken place, amongst a very small number of people, that has contributed to the difficulty that we have.

"That is the only role of the sanction that is being brought in.

"All of us would believe that the main way in which we’re going to reduce the spread of this disease is by asking everybody to play their part. 

"And that’s what many are doing for most are doing, but we need to do even better in the period that’s coming up," he added.

The new lockdown restrictions will come into effect at midnight tomorrow when Ireland moves to level 5 - the highest level - of the Government's 'Living with Covid' plan. 

Ireland will remain at level five for six weeks.