Gardaí used Covid-19 enforcement powers 702 times since April

Since regulations came into force, enforcement powers have been exercised most in Ireland’s North-West, where 242 incidents were recorded. File Picture: Andy Gibson

Gardaí have had to use their Covid-19 enforcement powers 702 times since April, new figures from Policing Authority have revealed.

Since regulations came into force, enforcement powers have been exercised most in Ireland’s North-West, where 242 incidents were recorded.

The North-West Garda region encompasses the counties of Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Longford, and Louth.

66 incidents were reported in Galway, and a further 56 were recorded in Cavan and Monaghan.

In the Southern Region, which includes Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary, gardaí exercised Covid-19 powers 160 times. 

27 incidents were logged in Cork city, 18 in Cork North, and 18 more in Cork West. 23 incidents were recorded in Kerry, and 25 were recorded in Limerick.

Nationally, gardaí say they exercised powers under Covid-19 guidelines 103 times in the last two months. 

The Policing Authority’s report, which was released this afternoon, covers the period up to October 31. Therefore, it does not cover the entirety of the level 5 Covid-19 restrictions introduced on October 21. 

It also does not cover the full extent of the extended Garda powers signed into law on October 25.

Premises inspections

Most of the 103 incidents noted related to the inspection of licensed premises.

Since April 8, gardaí say they have carried out over 50,000 visits to licensed premises. 

The premises in question were reported as being closed on 60% of these occasions.

Around 3,900 inspections were conducted over the recent bank holiday weekend alone. 

Premises inspected from October 23 to October 26 was recorded as being closed 80% of the time.

Spitting and Coughing incidents

The report also shows that ‘anti-spit hoods' have been used by gardaí a total of 118 times while policing during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

100 of the incidents relate to males, and 18 relate to females and children. Six incidents were recorded in the last month.

The hoods have most-often been utilised in Dublin.

31 additional incidents in which gardaí were spat and coughed at were recorded last month. 

In total, 237 such incidents have been recorded since April 12.

'Complex' incidents

In the report, the gardaí refer to three particular situations which they say have added significant “complexity” to their remit.

Firstly, the questions of what is and what is not considered an “essentials retail item”. 

Gardaí say uncertainty around what can and cannot be stocked and sold has “created an additional avenue for An Garda Síochána to police which is not solely a resource challenge but also a challenge to the consistency in policing, given lack of definition and degree of interpretation in this area."

Secondly, gardaí say policing the border region has also presented challenges, given the differing coronavirus restrictions between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Thirdly, gardaí say the facilitation of the policing of protests, particularly so-called ‘anti-mask’ protests in the context of the pandemic "remains a risk.” 

They say, these events, if not properly managed present the potential for “negative engagement between protesters on different sides and between protesters and gardaí."

These complications aside, the report found that overall, compliance with Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines remains high. 

They say that communities, for the most part, have been responding positively to the gardaí's four 'E' approach - 'Engage, Encourage, Educate and Enforce' - to policing during the pandemic. 

They say community groups have told them that they are satisfied this approach is being "fairly and consistently applied."