Gardaí have issued over 2,300 fines to people found organising or attending house parties during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to figures from the Gardaí, 466 fines of €500 have been issued to people organising house parties, while 1,842 fines of €150 have been given to party attendees.
Across the range of all Covid-19 breaches, approximately 15,358 fines have been issued to date.
Up to the close of business on March 18th, 636 €500 fines had been given to people found to have been making a non-essential journey to airports or ports in the State, increasing to 1,011 when €100 fines, given earlier in the pandemic, are also included.
The garda figures also show 269 people received a fine of €80 for not wearing a face covering.
Gardaí are urging the public to adhere to public health guidelines ahead of this weekend, avoiding non-essential travel and social gatherings.
In a statement today, the force said such gatherings "are a risk to the individuals involved, their families and loved ones, and continue to put everybody’s health and the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic at risk".
Gardaí will be continuing nationwide checkpoints and high visibility patrols at public amenities, parks and beauty spots across the country over the coming days.
People are reminded that if a vehicle is stopped by gardaí and the journey is deemed to be non-essential, the driver and all other adults in the vehicle will be subject to a fine. Also, drivers are reminded their car may be towed and impounded if they park illegally at any public amenity.
Once again, gardaí are assuring those who may be experiencing situations of domestic violence that the 5km travel restriction does not apply to those escaping risk of harm.
