CORK’S top cop is urging young people to “stand out from the herd mentality” and obey the Covid-19 regulations.

Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin was speaking after more than 200 fines were issued by gardaí in Cork city over the weekend for breaches of Covid-19 rules.

House parties were held across the city, according to Chief Superintendent McPolin, while groups of young people also gathered for bush drinking in the city and suburbs.

At the Lough, fines were issued to a group who had gathered for bush drinking.

One person was arrested at the Lough for a public order offence.

There were similar gatherings in Blackrock and Carrigaline, and the Chief Superintendent said that young people travelled from other areas to Carrigaline during the weekend for gatherings.

Chief Superintendent McPolin urged young people to “Stand out from the herd mentality and stay at home.”

And he said: “People are dying from Covid-19 and others are seriously ill.

“Our brave medical staff are put their lives on the line.

“The best way for us to help them is to stay at home.”

The Cork chief superintendent said parents have a responsibility to know where their children are.

“There is a responsibility on parents of teenagers to know where their children are, who they are hanging around with and if they are travelling around to other parts of the city to take part in bush drinking. It is a great concern to the community.”

He pointed out that €100 fines were in place for travelling beyond 5km, while the fine for attending an indoor gathering is €150.

Organisation of a gathering can result in a €500 fine.

He said the number of fines issued during the weekend was the highest since the introduction of the on-the-spot fines a month ago for breaching guidelines.

Commenting on the reports, that in the region of 200 fines were issued in Cork City alone last weekend for breaches of Covid-19 guidelines, Taoiseach Micheál Martin again appealed for people to stick to the regulations.

“There’s a lot to win here now.

“We have vaccinations and we didn’t have them last year — that’s the big change.

“The vaccinations will mean that the number of people dying will go way down.

“The number of people getting very ill will go way down.

“The elderly will be protected and those who are immunocompromised will be protected,” he told The Echo.

“Every month will be dramatic in terms of the increased numbers vaccinated, which gives us all increased protection.

“Now is not the time to give in. Now is the time to double down, strengthen our minds, become resilient and stick with the guidelines.

“I’d appeal to people to do that because there will be a result at the end.

“If we do that, over a reasonable period of time, we will be able to return to something approximating more normal lives and activities.”