Cork Gardaí on bank holiday policing: 'If you are not within the 5km limit, you will be told to go home'

GARDAÍ in Cork are to mount additional checkpoints and patrols across the city and county heading into the bank holiday weekend.

It comes amid concern about some people travelling outside the 5km restriction put in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Community Engagement Superintendent for Cork City, Colm O’Sullivan, is reminding people that the 5km restrictions remain in place.

“We will be out and if people turn up and are not within the 5km limit, you will be told to go home,” he said.

Superintendent O’Sullivan said he appreciated that this is a stressful time for people, but added it is important that everyone respects the restrictions.

“Don’t travel to your holiday home. Only make essential journeys,” he said.

Gardai are also reminding people who visit parks and amenities within their 5km area to only meet in groups of less than four people and not to stay for prolonged periods of time.

They say they will disperse any large gatherings and will be continuing to follow the “four Es” with regard policing the 5km restrictions - to engage with the public, educate, encourage and in the last resort to enforce the restrictions when needed.

Meanwhile, gardaí say additional patrols will also continue in the Mount Oval area over the coming days following the incident there last weekend.

Up to 70 people had descended on the suburb and engaged in an alleged brawl.

Detectives are continuing to examine CCTV footage from the incident and are in the process of identifying individuals involved.