Gardaí have issued a warning to people, including cyclists, more than 1,000 fines have been issued for breaches of Covid-19 rules in the first 11 days of the new €100 on the spot fines system.
In a statement Garda Headquarters, Dublin, said whole
groups of people – specifically cyclists and walkers – and every person in a vehicle,
not just the driver, would be fined if they were found more than 5km from home
exercising or without an essential reason.
To date the vast majority of people found more than 5km
from home – and who had no essential reason for their journey – were either
drivers or passengers in vehicles. While people out cycling or walking had been
fined, they were in the minority.
“People are
reminded that the 5km limit includes the distance travelled from their home to
a location for exercise. In other words, you can’t travel more than 5km to a
location to exercise,” the Garda statement issued this evening said.
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“The public
should also be aware that if a driver is found to be in breach of the
non-essential travel regulations that not only can the driver be fined, but their
adult passengers as well.
“This is also the
case for adults in groups undertaking activities such as cycling or walking –
every adult in such a group can be fined.”
Gardai have said
they turned cyclists around when they were found going to the Wicklow uplands
for exercise since the new fines were introduced last Monday week, January
11th.
When they issued
a list of examples of people fined last week, two cyclists stopped while
training in Co Galway some 19km from home were on the list.
Some 771 fines
had been issued up to last night, January 21st, for non-essential travel,
including exercising more than 5km from home. A further 200 fines issued were
being “checked and processed”.
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