PEOPLE who live in the North of Ireland will face fines from Monday onwards if they are caught crossing the border without “a reasonable excuse”.
The unprecedented step has been taken by the Irish government in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Anyone engaged in cross-border travel in breach of Ireland’s Covid-19 restrictions will be fined €100 (£88).
Gardaí have said the new rules will be enforced from 7 am today, Monday, February 8.
North of Ireland residents who have to cross the border for essential work or essential purposes, such as seeking medical treatment, will be exempt from fines.
Public health guidance in the North of Ireland says people “should not travel in or out of Northern Ireland except where it is essential to do so”.
The new rules are the latest in a series of decisions aimed at reducing travel to and within the Republic, but it is the first time that people from the North of Ireland will face financial penalties for non-essential cross-border travel.
The Republic is currently enforcing the state’s highest level of lockdown, known as “level five” in the Irish government’s five-stage plan for managing Covid-19.
Level five measures include a strict travel ban which means residents in the Republic are temporarily prohibited from going more than 5km (3 miles) away from their home.
There are exceptions to the 5km limit for people who have to travel further for essential work; medical reasons; caring responsibilities; and other essential purposes such as shopping for necessities like food.
The new cross-border fines follow recent amendments to the Irish government’s Covid-19 health legislation.
The health regulations now state that “any other person who is not ordinarily resident in the state shall not travel within a relevant geographical location without reasonable excuse”.
In a statement, Gardaí warned that every adult found to be in breach of the regulations on unnecessary cross-border travel could face penalties from Monday.
They said if they stop a car with a driver and two adults who should not be crossing the border, all three will receive a €100 fine. Cyclists and pedestrians will also be liable for fines.
Gardaí also warned: “Travelling to an airport or port to take a holiday abroad is not an essential journey.”
Any adult who is detected travelling to an Irish airport or port for a non-essential trip or holiday abroad currently faces a €500 (£439) fine.
A Garda spokeswoman confirmed that holidaymakers from the North of Ireland who are stopped by gardaÍ on their way to an airport will be liable for both that €500 fine and the €100 cross-border fine.
The infection risks posed by cross-border travel has been raised many times in the past few months, especially last autumn when infection rates in the North of Ireland were considerably higher than that of the Republic.
Last October, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said that his government is “not in the business of erecting barriers on the (Irish) border” but he added that a conversation with Stormont was needed about how “movement is being restricted” within the North of Ireland.
In November, it was reported that the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had advised against cross-border travel to the North of Ireland over Christmas.
First Minister Arlene Foster said she was “astounded” by the reports, after years of “being lectured” about the open border during Brexit talks.
However, Mr Varadkar clarified the reports, saying at that time there was “no question of there being an outright travel ban between north and south”.
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