Data shows 14% rise in people moving around last month

Retail and recreation is up 4% in the month and footfall in busy towns and cities is "creeping up steadily", despite Level 5 restrictions. Photo: Eddie O'Hare

There has been a notable increase in workplace, retail and recreation mobility despite level 5 restrictions, according to new research.

Google Data for the weekend of February 26 showed that workplaces had seen a 14% increase in movement in the last month.

Retail and recreation is up 4% in the month and footfall in busy towns and cities is "creeping up steadily", with monthly volumes and job load up 17% last month, an increase of 547,000 people moving around, according to Liz Canavan, assistant secretary-general at the Department of the Taoiseach.

Overall traffic volumes are up 8% on last week, and 9% since last month, every county showed an increase in traffic week on week.
"I cannot emphasise enough that we must all continue to work from home unless our work is deemed essential work, which requires our physical presence and we are asking employers to ensure they're facilitating this," she said.

Our return to school is not a signal to return to work. In fact, it could jeopardise our plans. 

"We also need to stay within our five-kilometre radius, even though it's difficult.

"We must hold firm, straying beyond the five-kilometre limit might seem like a minor, even inconsequential, decision, but it's not because it's a chink in the collective approach that we are relying on."

Ms Canavan emphasised that the Government is asking parents not to congregate around school gates, and playdates aren't arranged now some classes have returned.

"Please wear a mask and keep your distance from others when dropping your children off and picking them up at the end of the day, don't be tempted into stopping for a chat or a coffee with other parents you may not have seen for a while. 

Remember every contact counts, even more so now. 

"If we can manage the next few weeks carefully and safely, we will hopefully be in a position to look at re-opening more aspects of society and in the coming months."

Gardaí are continuing to carry out high-visibility patrols in public amenities, parks and beauty spots, as well as carrying out checkpoints on routes around the country and are continuing to find groups gathering in breach of regulations, house parties, social gatherings and exercising in groups.

"If you're found to be flouting the restrictions, you may be issued with a fixed penalty notice, to date approximately 9,800 Covid-19 fines have been issued by the gardaí across a range of all Covid-19 breaches," Ms Canavan added.

Referring to the scenes of a party in Limerick last night, Ms Canavan urged young people to present for a test.

"It would be easy to generalise, but it wouldn't be fair, or it wouldn't be accurate," she said.

"If you've slipped up, and you were part of last night's events, the best thing you can do now, is come forward for testing if you have any concerns."