Gardaí 'not appropriate' for transporting travellers to hotel quarantine

Gardaí have issued 5,784 fines for breaches of Covid regulations since last April. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The Policing Authority has advised against using gardaí for the transportation and supervision of international travellers subject to mandatory quarantine  under Government proposals.

Publishing its latest report on Garda policing of the pandemic, authority chairman Bob Collins said they have been reassured by Commissioner Drew Harris on his approach to the increase in fines gardaí have imposed since January for breaches of Covid-19 restrictions.

The report said 5,784 fines have been issued to individuals for breaches of Covid regulations since last April – all but 16 fines have been issued since January.

Limerick Division has imposed the most fines (614), followed by Dublin North (610) and Cork City (607).

"The stark change in the prevalence of the virus and the increased transmissibility of new variants in recent months has resulted in Government introducing a wider range of responses to breaches and to make simpler and more immediate the imposition of a sanction in the light of the growing threat to public health and to the health service,” Mr Collins said.

The authority recognises the importance of the Garda Síochána ensuring a consistency of approach by its members in determining whether the imposition of a Fixed Penalty Notice on a member of the public is appropriate. 

"We have been given detailed briefings on the current approach to this and are reassured by the commissioner's understanding and response."

He said new measures were introduced in January to prevent non-essential international travel, placing additional requirements on the Garda Síochána to enforce these restrictions.

“This has included establishing high visibility checkpoints at airports and ports to discourage travel and use enforcement powers if necessary,” Mr Collins said. 

“Regarding the proposed mandatory quarantine at designated facilities, it is the authority's view that while the Garda Síochána may have a role in terms of responding to incidents at such facilities, the transporting of persons to, and supervision of persons staying at these facilities, may not be the optimal use of limited Garda resources," he added.

The question of who would supervise hotel quarantines has not been cleared up with some indications suggesting private security firms.

But they would not have legal powers over personal liberties and freedoms, which could only be limited by gardaí.

The report said the use of ‘spit hoods’ by gardaí had fallen significantly, from 36 in May to six in December and to just two in January and two so far in February.

It said assaults on gardaí – by being coughed on or spat at – also fell from 48 in May to 10 in December, but increased to 22 in January and five so far in February.