An Garda Síochána - COVID19

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/FionaKenny1/status/1351239961543139330

Dempo1

Seth Brundle wrote: »

https://twitter.com/FionaKenny1/status/1351239961543139330

How about a 5th E, Ediot

Dempo1

zell12 wrote: »

Man charged after refusing to comply with Garda direction in relation to travel restrictions
Gardaí in Naas, who were responding to a complaint, arrested a man in the vicinity of Punchestown Racecourse.

I don't think it a stretch to suggest NAAS RPU are deserving of their own twitter feed, seems they account for 80% of road traffic violation detections posted on the Garda traffic twitter account.

silverharp

Seth Brundle wrote: »

https://twitter.com/FionaKenny1/status/1351239961543139330

might be the camera angle, but he looks like a kid that has put on uniform for a kid's tv show

sonofenoch

Stopped at checkpoint yesterday by a girly gardai .....on a motorbike with a lid on, she looks at me with a 'duh welllllll' look, says nothing................I was thinking what? what the **** aren't you supposed to ask a question you stopped me ............but though nah why bother

Dempo1

silverharp wrote: »

might be the camera angle, but he looks like a kid that has put on uniform for a kid's tv show

Hillarious, I've noticed not a single uniform or coat he wears seems to fit. I can't take this guy seriously at all

LLMMLL

zell12 wrote: »

Man charged after refusing to comply with Garda direction in relation to travel restrictions
Gardaí in Naas, who were responding to a complaint, arrested a man in the vicinity of Punchestown Racecourse.

Hope that case is thrown out. It's clear the gardai were using the travel restrictions rule to try and get him for something else. They just undermine the validity of the rules if they abuse them.

Alun

Dempo1 wrote: »

Hillarious, I've noticed not a single uniform or coat he wears seems to fit. I can't take this guy seriously at all

What about the hat? It looks like one of those ridiculously oversized hats that the Russian military seem to like.

elperello

LLMMLL wrote: »

Hope that case is thrown out. It's clear the gardai were using the travel restrictions rule to try and get him for something else. They just undermine the validity of the rules if they abuse them.

What was it in the linked report that led you to draw that conclusion?

LLMMLL

elperello wrote: »

What was it in the linked report that led you to draw that conclusion?

While the 5km aspect is being enforced, I've never heard of someone being within 5km but for a non-essential reason being prosecuted.

It sounds like the racecourse or other called the gardai to have him moved on. Gardai didn't like that he didn't, so attempted to use legislation in a non- standard way.

Happens all the time with the gardai and generally created a level of distrust towards them.

elperello

LLMMLL wrote: »

While the 5km aspect is being enforced, I've never heard of someone being within 5km but for a non-essential reason being prosecuted.

It sounds like the racecourse or other called the gardai to have him moved on. Gardai didn't like that he didn't, so attempted to use legislation in a non- standard way.

Happens all the time with the gardai and generally created a level of distrust towards them.

The linked report says -

"This man had been one of two people who were deemed to have breached the 5km travel restriction imposed as part of the measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19."

As I read that he was outside the 5k limit.

Atlantic Dawn

I've not seen a single checkpoint since we entered Level 5 again.

LLMMLL

elperello wrote: »

The linked report says -

"This man had been one of two people who were deemed to have breached the 5km travel restriction imposed as part of the measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19."

As I read that he was outside the 5k limit.

The report says the judge asked if he was outside the 5k limit and the Garda said it was irrelevant. He obviously wasn't.

Dempo1

LLMMLL wrote: »

The report says the judge asked if he was outside the 5k limit and the Garda said it was irrelevant. He obviously wasn't.

Hmmm, quite curious this case, that District Judge no push over, Gardai better have their ducks in a row. I'm also wondering if he was recording horse racing (seems to be his profession), could he not have been deemed essential as in journalist?

Dempo1

The rte news had a feature re traffic levels, comparing first lockdown and this one, 58% more traffic than 1st lockdown, had that absolute T**l conor faughnan from the AA on. The absurd reason given? 1st lockdown had a 2km limit, this has 5km, just the greatest pile of S**** I've heard in quite some time.

Flyer1

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I've not seen a single checkpoint since we entered Level 5 again.

Have gone through 2/3 every day.

elperello

LLMMLL wrote: »

The report says the judge asked if he was outside the 5k limit and the Garda said it was irrelevant. He obviously wasn't.

Dempo1 wrote: »

Hmmm, quite curious this case, that District Judge no push over, Gardai better have their ducks in a row. I'm also wondering if he was recording horse racing (seems to be his profession), could he not have been deemed essential as in journalist?

Just for the sake of clarification could you please link to where you are getting the information about the justice's remarks. Thanks.

LLMMLL

elperello wrote: »

Just for the sake of clarification could you please link to where you are getting the information about the justice's remarks. Thanks.

Presiding Judge Desmond Zaidan enquired if the location where Mr Denton was arrested is more than 5km from the hotel he was residing at.

Sgt Jim Kelly stated that, whether it was within the 5km or not, gardaí maintain he was not providing an essential service or exercising while outside his place of residence and that this was in contravention of the health act.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/man-charged-with-breaching-covid-restrictions-after-reports-of-drones-flying-over-horse-race-meeting-court-hears-39985435.html

elperello

LLMMLL wrote: »

Presiding Judge Desmond Zaidan enquired if the location where Mr Denton was arrested is more than 5km from the hotel he was residing at.

Sgt Jim Kelly stated that, whether it was within the 5km or not, gardaí maintain he was not providing an essential service or exercising while outside his place of residence and that this was in contravention of the health act.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/man-charged-with-breaching-covid-restrictions-after-reports-of-drones-flying-over-horse-race-meeting-court-hears-39985435.html

Thanks for that.

That link was not in the thread before.

Having read the report I'd be prepared to wait for the conclusion of the case before being too critical of AGS.

Worth noting that the DPP agrees with Sgt. Kelly.

Cluedo Monopoly

Dempo1 wrote: »

The rte news had a feature re traffic levels, comparing first lockdown and this one, 58% more traffic than 1st lockdown, had that absolute T**l conor faughnan from the AA on. The absurd reason given? 1st lockdown had a 2km limit, this has 5km, just the greatest pile of S**** I've heard in quite some time.

The first lockdown was totally different. Every town and village were like ghost towns. People did stockpile and they did bunker down out of real fear.

There is a lot more activity these days. One example - whenever you go into a Centra at lunchtime, there is a queue for the rolls/sandwiches. I doubt the sandwich bar was even open in the first lockdown. I don't understand how people don't have the time to make themselves a decent roll/lunch

Stark

Don't think I could even get a takeaway coffee during the first lockdown. (Or maybe it was just that the nearest place was outside 2km)

Atlantic Dawn

Flyer1 wrote: »

Have gone through 2/3 every day.

I am probably only doing about 30 miles a week if even but during the previous level 5 I was going through about 5 a week, sometimes 2 on the same journey.

LLMMLL

elperello wrote: »

Thanks for that.

That link was not in the thread before.

Having read the report I'd be prepared to wait for the conclusion of the case before being too critical of AGS.

Worth noting that the DPP agrees with Sgt. Kelly.

I disagree with gardai using laws to achieve an aim the law was not intended for. On principle.

It's entirely possible a judge will agree with AGS in this case. That wouldn't change my opinion. If the law is not generally enforced then it shouldn't be used as an excuse to force someone to do something they are otherwise legally allowed to do.

Skipduke

I’ve only gone through 1 checkpoint since last March. And I’m not a hermit haha

An Ri rua

Breezin wrote: »

Fish in a barrel https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40208567.html

Don't quite get how stopping people wandering around some hills stops Covid, while beaches and parks in Dublin are thronged.

You don't get it and yet you're talking about it as a result of a headline in a national paper.
It's how compliance measures work....

elperello

LLMMLL wrote: »

I disagree with gardai using laws to achieve an aim the law was not intended for. On principle.

It's entirely possible a judge will agree with AGS in this case. That wouldn't change my opinion. If the law is not generally enforced then it shouldn't be used as an excuse to force someone to do something they are otherwise legally allowed to do.

Like you I would not like to see AGS abusing their powers.

However I'm not clear that happened in this case.

As I said I'd be interested to see how it concludes and the outcome of any appeal.

The SI is detailed on the meaning of the 5k limit and essential occupations.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2020/si/448/made/en/print

LLMMLL

LLMMLL wrote: »

I disagree with gardai using laws to achieve an aim the law was not intended for. On principle.

It's entirely possible a judge will agree with AGS in this case. That wouldn't change my opinion. If the law is not generally enforced then it shouldn't be used as an excuse to force someone to do something they are otherwise legally allowed to do.

It seems to me that this man and his activities are exactly what the law is intended for.
You must stay at home unless you are providing an essential service, or exercising within 5km of your home.
This guy is travelling all over Ireland and the UK, and not for any kind of essential service.
This is exactly what the law is for, much more so then people walking in mountains 10 km from their homes.

kippy

LLMMLL wrote: »

While the 5km aspect is being enforced, I've never heard of someone being within 5km but for a non-essential reason being prosecuted.

It sounds like the racecourse or other called the gardai to have him moved on. Gardai didn't like that he didn't, so attempted to use legislation in a non- standard way.

Happens all the time with the gardai and generally created a level of distrust towards them.

The guy should generally do what he is directed to do by the Gardai. Within reason of course.
I'd have no sympathy for him if he didn't follow the direction given. Why distrust the Gardai in this instance? Surely they cannot be seen to allow people to directly go against their directions? The start of a breakdown in society if so.
We were brought up to respect and indeed fear the Gardai. Half the problem nowadays is some people have the very opposite of feelings towards them.

BruteStock

Can I travel up the country to buy a new car? Anybody know? Im not buying from a dealer but they offer nationwide delivery. So I imagine buying a car could be classed as some sort of essential service.

LLMMLL

bubblypop wrote: »

It seems to me that this man and his activities are exactly what the law is intended for.
You must stay at home unless you are providing an essential service, or exercising within 5km of your home.
This guy is travelling all over Ireland and the UK, and not for any kind of essential service.
This is exactly what the law is for, much more so then people walking in mountains 10 km from their homes.

If that's the main reason the law was intended for why do we only hear of people being fined for being outside the 5k. Why do we not hear of fines or gardai targeting those within 5k who do not meet the essential service criteria?

The law should be applied fairly evenly. Even the 5k law. If the gardai go to the Wicklow mountains and hand out widespread fines I am fine with that. If they go there and only hand out a fine to one person because they want them to move on for a reason they cannot otherwise enforce then that is an issue.