OVER 50 fines for flouting coronavirus rules have been issued in this
area since the pandemic began in March, according to Police.
In the Fermanagh and Omagh Council area more penalty notices were issued than neighbouring Mid Ulster, 20, and various other regions
such as Antrim and Newtownabbey, 30 and Lisburn and Castlereagh City, 23.
A breakdown of figures showed that across the North a total of 1156 penalty notices starting at a £60 fine rising to a max of £960, were issued to persons aged over 18. 55 of those were issued in the Fermanagh and Omagh Council area.
Locally two £1,000 fines have been issued to individuals who failed to isolate. In addition to this 13 prohibition notices were issued, 11 commercial and two private.
Speaking about the need for people to act responsibly Councillor Thomas O’Reilly said, “The wellbeing of the whole community has to be by the actions of the individual. It is incumbent on us to take personal responsibility and have that larger picture view that it is not just ourselves we have to protect but by protecting ourselves we protect everybody else.”
When asked if he felt that fines and guidance in place currently were
sufficient discouragement, Cllr O’Reilly said, “I think like in everything else there is an educate approach trying to be taken to give people the information that allows them to make those information based decisions.
“As in all cases there are some people who for whatever reason decide
not to cooperate. I think it is important that enforcement is taken
against those people who on an individual basis refuse to cooperate
and put other people in danger. That is the same as enforcing the
rules of the road. When education and encouragement doesn’t get that
message home then sometimes being out of pocket helps focus the mind
on that.
“This is as serious as road deaths. This cannot be something that is
at a whim of whether you want to follow the rule or not.”
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