Garda powers to make pubs and restaurants Covid-compliant to be extended to June

The justice minister is expected to seek approval from Cabinet for an extension to next summer of the additional powers given to gardaí to enforce Coivid-19 restrictions on licensed premises. Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Enforcement powers for gardaí to make pubs, restaurants, and other licenced premises comply with Covid-19 restrictions are to be extended until next June.

Helen McEntee, the justice minister, is to seek Cabinet approval on Tuesday to extend the powers as she will inform ministers that, under both the current and previous rules, there had been 274 infringement incidents between July 3 and October 18.

The extension will be greeted with anger and disappointment from the already beleaguered hospitality sector — but Government sources have said the move is necessary as the current legislation has a sunset clause.

The extension of the Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Act 2020 gives An Garda Síochána additional enforcement powers to close bars and restaurants selling alcohol, which are not compliant with the Covid-19 health regulations.

The act provides for three types of closure orders. It gives:

• power for a Garda Superintendent or higher to issue an immediate closure order to close a premises immediately for the remainder of that day;
• power for An Garda Síochána to apply to the District Court on an ex-parte basis for an emergency closure order where there has been more than one breach of the regulations. That closure can be for up to three days;
• power for An Garda Síochána to apply for a temporary closure order, where there has been a failure to comply with a compliance notice. A first temporary closure order can be for up to seven days, and a second or subsequent temporary closure order can be for up to 30 days.

The act also includes grounds for objection to the renewal of licences.