Q&A: Garda checkpoints are back - but what can they actually do?

Gardaí will adopt three of their four ‘Es’ during Operation Fanacht: engage, explain, and encourage — but not the fourth: enforce.

Gardaí operating a checkpoint at Rincrew Road Roundabout, near Youghal, Co Cork, close to the county boundary with Co Waterford. Picture: Larry Cummins

So why the tailbacks this morning?

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has reintroduced the national operation targeting travel movements that we had during the real lockdown, in April and May. Operation Fanacht involves over 130 major checkpoints on main routes and thousands of mobile checkpoints on secondary roads. It is due to last three weeks.