“We have to reduce right down the volume of people coming in and out of this country.”
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said that Gardaí are doing checks on the homes of those arriving into the country without a negative Covid test.
Speaking on Thursday about attempts that are being made to reduce the number of people entering the country, he said that fines are being administered at the airport to those breaching the rules, and Gardaí are doing regular house checks.
Ryan said that the rules against non-essential travel are not just “advisory”.
“The Guards are doing checks on the homes, not every single case… but I think it’s appropriate for them to be doing what they’re doing.
“Several thousand fines have been applied for people who aren’t abiding by the guidance and the rules that are in place.”
Minister Eamon Ryan says that non-essential travel has to stop. Speaking during Leaders Questions, he says gardaí are doing checks on homes where people without PCR tests are supposed to stay and are issuing fines | https://t.co/s1Lbqwazqd pic.twitter.com/Ywd9NGb5VU
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 25, 2021
This comes on the same day that Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said that Gardaí will not be used to man Ireland’s mandatory quarantine hotels.
Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, McEntee said it would “not be appropriate” to put Gardaí in the quarantine hotels as the people staying there would have committed no crime, but will be called to these facilities if the need arises.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge