Simon Harris confirmed on RTÉ's Prime Time on Tuesday evening that gardaí will be given new powers to ensure that people stay at home and do not break restrictions during the Covid-19 emergency.
There have been reports in recent days of people decamping to holiday homes throughout the country, contravening the guidelines which were put in place last month.
The Irish Times reports that guards will have the power to arrest and detain those who break restrictions, including people exercising more than 2km from their homes and those who travel for reasons which are not essential. A prison sentence of six months and a fine of €2,500 would follow for anyone convicted.
The Minister for Health said that he met on Tuesday with the Taoiseach, Minister for Justice, the Garda Commissioner, the Attorney General and the Chief Medical Officer.
"This evening, I will be signing regulations to give gardaí those powers," he said.
"Let me say this though, the Garda Commissioner was very clear in this regard: The level of compliance is very high, the Irish people are being super.
"It is important that the gardaí have these powers in their back pocket so if they do need enforcement powers, they have them.
"I think that's what most people in this country would expect and want the gardaí to have. They will continue their normal strategy of working with the people and assisting the communities.
"The gardaí will be continuing to patrol and will have the powers to ask people to return home. We're not expecting to have to use those powers. Already you've seen that the gardaí have been patrolling. That policing strategy will continue.
"I don't want a situation to develop in our country... today was a very nice, sunny day; it's human nature that we begin to say, 'Well, I'm hearing on the news that a bit of progress is being made in Ireland'.
"We could lose all that progress if people don't continue to take it seriously and listen very carefully to the advice of our public health experts."
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