'Please make the right choices': Gardaí in Cork continue to find large groups outdoors

Gardaí in Cork have asked the public to 'please make the right choices this weekend' as they continue high-visibility patrols in the city centre. 

"An Garda Síochána continues to find large groups meeting in outdoor gatherings," the force said in a Facebook post on Saturday. "These actions continue to put everybody’s health & our recovery from #Covid19 at risk." 

Deputy Commissioner, Policing and Security, Anne Marie McMahon added: "Thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of so many, all the COVID-19 indicators are going in the right direction. However, as society starts to open up again, we can’t afford to be complacent.

"As we enjoy meeting up with more of our family and friends, and doing activities we haven’t been able to do for a while, please remember not to gather in large groups. Please maintain social distancing. Please do not hold or attend house parties." 

There were issues with antisocial behaviour in the city centre last Saturday night involving large crowds of young people.

Earlier this week Garda Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin hit out at ‘irresponsible parents’ who drop their children into the city centre to go drinking.

He said gardaí have both anecdotal and concrete evidence of parents dropping their children off with drink to different areas of Cork City at weekends.

“Parents need to know where their youngsters are going and who they are with,” he said. “We have evidence of parents dropping youngsters into certain parts of the city with alcohol with the purpose of socialising at weekends — and that is quite irresponsible and leading to a lot of the incidents over the last few weekends involving antisocial behaviour and assaults."