ANYONE stopped crossing the border will only receive one of the new Garda fines if they are in clear breach of Covid restrictions, the local community has been assured.
As of Monday this week, Garda officers operating Covid checkpoints have been given the power to fine people €100 fine for non-essential travel. The fine applies to anyone who is not normally resident in the South and who does not have a reasonable excuse to be there.
However, it has been stressed gardai have the power to use their discretion when handing out these fines, and Fermanagh’s border residents have been assured that if they are keeping within the rules of the lockdown, either north or south, they will not be liable for the penalty.
As Cllr Chris McCaffrey pointed out, the fines apply to anyone breaching the non-essential travel rule anywhere in the South, not just along the border.
“I am aware there would be an undercurrent where people would look at this as a cross border restraint, the reality is these rules need to be used with discretion,” he said.
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Posted: 1:50 pm February 15, 2021