People aren’t taking restrictions seriously; Gardai took action against four people in Cork who violated the 5km limit

CORK: No matter how much restrictions the government imposes on travel, for some people it will not apply, and they will have their own ‘essential reasons’ to get out.

However, the Gardai has taken action against those who came out for such trivial reasons and violated the 5 km rule.

As part of COVID-19 restrictions, people can only go out to a maximum of 5km. Under the new rules, the Gardai can impose a fine of €100 on anyone who violates the 5km travel limit. However, there are certain allowances in cases such as if a person is travelling to or returning home from work that is considered to be an essential service.

But a few days ago, four separate people who violated the rules were caught by the Gardai in Co Cork. Officers on duty on the M8 at Glanmire caught a total of four motorists who had left the house for various reasons.

One person travelled 200 kms to collect a puppy as a gift to his friend. Another individual sold the item privately on social media and travelled 70km to deliver it.

Another incident was that a man had travelled more than 70 kms for an essential journey. But he had a neighbour with him, and the passenger was fined because it was not essential.

But there was another violation that was different from all of this. Gardai stopped a driver, who claimed to be working for a construction company on essential building construction work. He also produced a letter to convince the officers.

After inquiries, the letter was found to be a fake and a fine of €100 was imposed on the driver and asked him to return to Waterford.

“Everyone must play their part during this challenging time. Before you get in you car, ask yourself, is this essential? By limiting our movements and contact with each other, we can help stop the spread of COVID-19,” a garda spokesperson said.