Ballyshannon councillor has suggested that northerners with second homes in Bundoran and Rossnowlagh have been evading checkpoints to get to their seaside retreats despite clear guidelines issues by the authorities on both sides of the border to stay at home over Easter.

Motorists with northern registrations are being stopped and drivers questioned. 

In Bundoran businesses have been posting on Facebook messages encouraging regular visitors to postpone rather than cancel holidays while stressing that the resort is staying in lockdown until further notice

Meanwhile, the Garda have been granted new powers to enforce restrictions on movement over Easter and Commissioner Drew Harris said people should not be travelling to holiday homes.

A Garda (Irish police) spokesperson said: “We will liaise with our colleagues in the PSNI to deal with any issues that arise around cross border traffic, and would appeal to the public in Northern Ireland to fully comply with the regulations announced today.”

However, Commissioner Harris did say that those currently living in holiday homes should stay there.

“If people are currently staying in their holiday homes, that is now considered their place of residence and they should not leave during the current crisis,” a Garda spokesman said.