Written answers
Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Department of Justice and Equality
Covid-19 Pandemic
Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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683. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Covid-19 regulation breaches reported by An Garda Síochána since their introduction; the breakdown by category and month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7374/21]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, confirmed Covid-19 incident figures (powers used/breaches of regulations) are crime incidents in which files are prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in order to charge or summons.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that due to the substantial checking and reviews undertaken on these incidents prior to publication, there is a slight reporting time lag. Updates are published on the Garda website when available, and I am informed that currently this is approximately every four weeks.
I am advised that the most recent figures available cover incidents which occurred between 8April 2020 and 9 January 2021. Totals by category are included in the table below:
Category of Covid-19 Incidents | Total |
|---|---|
| Initial Lockdown Period – 8 April 2020 to 28 June 2020 Breaches of Health Act 1947 (Operation Fanacht etc...) | 361 |
| Period from 29 June 2020 up to 9 January, 2021 Breaches of Health Act 1947 [*] | 126 |
| Licensed Premises (Operation Navigation – commenced 3 July 2020) | 398 |
| Retail Premises (Operation Treoraím – commenced 25 October 2020) | 108 |
| Face Covering Regulations (File to DPP) | 12 |
| International Travel Regulations | 10 |
The following table provides a breakdown of the total number of incidents by month:
| Covid-19 Incidents | 2020 | 2021 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr* | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan* | |
| Total | 193 | 144 | 26 | 95 | 112 | 59 | 118 | 140 | 98 | 30 |
COVID-19 related fixed penalty notices (fines) are currently in operation for a number of distinct offences. I am informed that these are recorded on the Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS), which only records that information essential to process and post the fine.
It should be noted that different categories of fines came into effect on different dates.
| COVID-19 Related Fines | 2020 | 2021 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Nov* - Dec | Jan | ||
| Events - Dwellings and Non-Dwellings | - | 136 | 136 |
| Face Coverings | 14 | 65 | 79 |
| Movement of Persons | - | 2,803 | 2,803 |
| Total | 14 | 3,004 | 3,018 |
I am informed that confirmed COVID-19 incident figures (powers used/breaches of regulations) are based on PULSE data as of 11 January 2021 – these are operational statistics and are the most recent verified figures available.
In addition, fines information is based on FCPS data on 5 February 2021 and is provisional, operational and liable to change. Fines figures reported include only those where the fixed payment notice has been printed and sent; this is to ensure that the fine has completed the processing stages.
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