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Views from Fort Dunree outside Buncrana. Shutterstock

Donegal locals 'angry and frustrated' that Northern Ireland day trippers are not covered by laws

A loophole in Covid-19 restrictions means that travel restrictions do not apply to those living outside the Republic’s legal jurisdiction.

A BORDER COMMUNITY is “angry and frustrated” that Covid-19 restrictions cannot be enforced on day trippers from Northern Ireland, a public representative said.

Donegal’s stunning sandy beaches and Atlantic coastline are normally a magnet for visitors but people in the county are urging neighbours to stay away as residents observe the nationwide 2km exercise restriction. 

A loophole in the law means travel curbs do not apply to those living outside the Republic’s legal jurisdiction.

Councillor Jack Murray, from Inishowen, said: “I have been inundated with people who are angry.

There is great annoyance and frustration when people are sacrificing so much and there is a loophole in the legislation so it does not apply to people in the Six Counties. It was poorly-written legislation.

“We need to take an island-wide approach to this, regardless of the loophole, and adhere.”

Yesterday, a further 26 deaths were confirmed in the Republic of Ireland bringing the total to 1,087. There were also 701 new cases to increase the total to 19,262

In Northern Ireland, the health department said five more people had died from Covid-19, bringing total fatalities to 299. Another 82 positive cases were detected, the cumulative total is 3,308.

Gardaí in border counties have been told those on day trips from Northern Ireland can no longer be arrested if they breach the law.

Murray added: “The virus does not respect the border and tackling it should recognise that.

“We should not have different approaches, we need to look at this in a holistic way.”

Sinn Féin TD Padraig Mac Lochlainn is from Buncrana, a pretty coastal town normally bustling with visitors. Only a short distance from Derry it has for generations has been seen as part of the city’s natural hinterland.

“The vast majority of our people have been adhering to the movement restrictions, North and South, but the emergency laws were for the very small minority who won’t,” Mac Lochlainn said

“This error is unacceptable, considering that all government legislation goes through the attorney general’s office.”

In supporting the Covid-19 public health guidelines, gardaí said they adopted a “graduated” response based on a tradition of policing by consent.

“This has seen gardai (officers) engage, educate, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce,” a spokesperson said.

An Garda Siochana continues to adopt this approach and urges everyone resident or visiting this State in the first instance to adhere to the public health guidelines to protect themselves and others from Covid-19.

Gardai have used a wide range of laws available as part of the operation imposing restrictions, including those surrounding public order, assault, road traffic and drugs.

The statement added: “It remains the case that anyone visiting the State even temporarily is amenable to such criminal laws of this State during their time here.

“An Garda Síochana does not comment on legal advice it receives on specific issues nor on consultation with Government departments on relevant legislation.

“The detail of a particular piece of legislation is a matter for the relevant department.”

Stormont’s health minister Robin Swann has repeatedly warned against complacency in the fight to control the virus.

Its spread has been driven down in recent days by a bar on non-essential travel, and police have issued hundreds of fines for non-compliance.

Swann told the BBC he was concerned people were becoming more lax over the lockdown rules and were “starting to ease up on their responsibility”.

Cemeteries reopened to the public over the weekend following mounting pressure on politicians, while rules on driving for exercise were adjusted to allow reasonable travel.

Contact tracing of cases of infection is being rolled out across Northern Ireland next week. The number of tests conducted is also being ramped up.

- With reporting by Rónán Duffy

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72 Comments
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    Mute fitzz30
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    Apr 27th 2020, 8:58 AM

    Why not put a hefty travel tax on non residents to enter the country during this crisis. Can’t imagine too many would want to come in then

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    Mute Caoimhín O Neill
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:56 AM

    @fitzz30: lol why not put a heavy carbon tax on fuel you burn while driving, that’ll teach em right?

    31
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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:43 AM

    @fitzz30: close the border.

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    Mute Jjohn Cconway
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:24 PM

    @fitzz30: so you want to reintroduce a border and checkpoints?

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    Mute Brynþór Patrekursson
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    Apr 27th 2020, 5:00 PM

    @Jjohn Cconway: certainly. SF and their other parties in the North are not implementing restrictions, so choosing would be a good idea. You do get that this is a medical emergency, and Northern Ireland is putting our citizens at risk, especially in an isolated county with a high population of older people.

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    Mute Rocky Rocks
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    Apr 28th 2020, 12:15 AM

    @Earth Traveller: yes only foreigners (ala Keelings) are allowed contravene our C19 quarantine ‘laws’. #westbrit

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    Mute Mick McGuinness
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:02 AM

    The Government need wake up and stop all travel. NI people should be told stay home or be fined £2,500 for crossing the border. Why should we obey the laws while the don’t need to.

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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:32 AM

    @Mick McGuinness: It’s ironinc, because the people of Derry have always been known for being considerate and law abiding

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:00 AM

    @Mick McGuinness: to get across the border Northern Ireland drivers must break their own lockdown laws. If people are making unnecessary daytrip journeys then take their details and report to the Northern Ireland police.

    It would be hypocritical of us to say that the border cannot be closed by brexit but can by covid-19.

    Also many people living near the border do cross the border going to their nearest shops and indeed when using salient roads

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    Mute Conan Campbell
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:54 AM

    @Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: WOW. Did you just call an entire county criminals.

    15
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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:59 PM

    @Conan Campbell: I take it English isn’t your first language.

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    Mute Conan Campbell
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    Apr 27th 2020, 1:22 PM

    @Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: Thought you were being sarcastic.

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    Mute Val Ruscheniko
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    Apr 29th 2020, 10:30 AM

    @Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: And their English spelling ability is better!

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    Mute Anne Marie Devlin
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:09 AM

    How many people from the north are actually travelling into Donegal? In the article it mentions that people are angry that the guards can’t do anything, but it gives no indication of the scale of the problem. It states that buncrana is normally bustling with visitors which to me implies that it is currently not bustling with visitors

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    Mute Sharp Elsi Mate
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:14 AM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: this kinda reminds me of the ‘thousands’ coming through Dublin & Rosslare ports there a couple of weeks ago

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    Mute Jointheclubtoo
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:16 AM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: In the East Donegal area close to Derry half the vehicles on the road would be northern registered and it is a very busy area. The great majority would not be tourists as this region is closely knit with Derry and are effectively in the greater Derry area.

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    Mute Sk19
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:21 AM

    @Sharp Elsi Mate: 5 or 5,000 doesn’t matter , we have no 14 day mandatory quarantine for arrivals . Total joke

    33
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    Mute Sharp Elsi Mate
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:35 AM

    @Jointheclubtoo: ‘Closely knit’ is code for not paying VRT.

    25
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    Mute Jointheclubtoo
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:51 AM

    @Sharp Elsi Mate: Wrong, inter connected for centuries. Cities are usually central to and dominate their immediate hinterland.

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    Mute Anne Marie Devlin
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:47 AM

    Apparently the carpark in Sainsbury’s in Derry is full of DL reg cars. I guess the travel ban should work in both directions!

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    Mute Jointheclubtoo
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:08 PM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: Apparently you are allowed to travel for your essential shopping and Derry is both closest and the main shopping place for a large area of East Donegal.

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    Mute Tony Humphreys
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:08 PM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: no laws against going to cheaper supermarkets to buy essentials

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    Mute Matthew Delaney
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    Apr 27th 2020, 2:20 PM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: ‘apparently’ there’s that word again. ‘Apparently’ there are loads of brits on ferries coming here too.

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    Mute Lemonwilly
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:23 AM

    Don’t you abide by the laws of the country in which you’re physically in? So if they don’t have a home within 2km of their location, they should be sent back across the border.

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    Mute Jjohn Cconway
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:29 PM

    @Lemonwilly: that’s not the law!

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    Mute Cosmological
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:31 AM

    What you do with loopholes is close them immediately.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:53 AM

    @Cosmological: but that would hammer smuggling

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    Mute Paul
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:10 AM

    @Cosmological: caretaker government can’t do that. It’ll have to be the new government.

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    Mute Enuff Said
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:51 AM

    The ethnic minorities that arrived on the curragh over the last few weeks don’t have to adhere to any laws either. Come and go as I please boss.

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    Mute shay
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:22 AM

    We need a united Ireland,

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:52 AM

    @shay: it would be some craic, 50 or 60 DUP TD’s running around leinster House. Arelene forster minster for cultural affairs and a new bank holiday in the 12th.
    A FF greens and DUP government.

    47
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    Mute Paul
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:08 AM

    @Chris Mc: a funny picture alright but I wonder would Arlene stay in Stormont rather than come to Dublin. Though I guess MPs would become TDs and power sharing up North continues

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    Mute Jointheclubtoo
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:23 AM

    @Chris Mc: A bank holiday in July? Well that seals it then, a United Ireland it is!!

    25
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    Mute Declan Snow
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:26 AM

    @Paul: no way the DUP would call themselves TDs. That would mean them agreeing to the Irish language. They would always be MPs in Dublin

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    Mute Paul
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:28 AM

    @Declan Snow: except MPs don’t exist here.

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    Mute Declan Snow
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:35 AM

    @Paul: not currently but a united Ireland wouldn’t mean that they just join us and they have to adapt to our ways. Things here would have to change to accommodate them too. There may be a new anthem, a new flag, a new capital, even a shared capital. It won’t be as simple as us taking back the 6 and becoming 32 again with the rules of the 26 passing onto the 6 again. There’ll have to be a new scrip with compromises on both sides, otherwise we can forget about peace.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:45 AM

    @Paul: I was only joking. But I’d be all for another bank holiday in July maybe we could call it something else than the 12th.

    3
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    Mute Patrick Brompton
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:56 AM

    @Paul: I think that I am right in remembering that Arlene said in a recent documentary that she would not live in a United Ireland.

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    Mute Tony Mc Grath
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:51 PM

    @shay: yes, let’s start gatherings around the country now to support this like the German Honcho back in the day.

    1
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    Mute John Daly
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:58 PM

    @Chris Mc: arlene foster has already made it clear that she would not stay on this island in the event of a United Ireland

    6
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    Mute Teresa Ryan
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    Apr 28th 2020, 1:08 AM

    @Declan Snow: Why dont you give them your first born as well

    1
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    Mute Speak Freely
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:52 AM

    Donegal drivers still cross it for Asda and Sainsbury’s. The issue is on both sides.

    69
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    Mute Badger the witness
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:51 AM

    @Speak Freely: Driving for grocery shopping is not an issue.

    24
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    Mute Speak Freely
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    Apr 27th 2020, 7:24 PM

    @Badger the witness: glad to hear it, let them go to Letterkenny then if they’re so worried about mixing with people from Derry

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    Mute Patrick Robinson
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:39 AM

    Not just Donegal. Carlingford is a tourist hotspot and loads here. None welcome as we are housebound.

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:48 AM

    So does that mean people in Ireland within 2km of the border can now visit Northern Ireland and then drive there and not be held to account there?

    It seems both jurisdictions should align their travel restrictions for now.

    52
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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:30 AM

    @Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair: We are at the mercy of the UK government with regard to UK travel restrictions. All we can do is close the border. I can’t see that happening.

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    Mute
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:49 AM

    Have a look at the shopping centers in Derry , packed with southern reg cars

    40
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    Mute Badger the witness
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:49 AM

    What’s wrong with that? I live in the country and have to drive 10 miles to the shop.

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    Mute J
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:58 AM

    @: and all for the love of marmite

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    Mute Gerald
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    Apr 27th 2020, 8:52 AM

    We should ask Donald T. To build a wall

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:17 AM

    @Gerald: a great wall, a beautiful wall

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    Mute Hans Vos
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:34 AM

    The best wall in the world.

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    Mute Brynþór Patrekursson
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    Apr 27th 2020, 5:06 PM

    @Gerald: for this young enough to not get the link between Donegal, Donald Trump and a wall, I give you the psychic Pat Gallagher – https://youtu.be/dL_PXBt85rY

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    Mute Eamonn Connaghan
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:20 AM

    The communities and businesses should boycott them and not serve them in shops, petrol stations, take aways etc

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    Mute shake n’ break
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:06 AM

    @Eamonn Connaghan: business obviously not your strongest subject

    50
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Apr 27th 2020, 10:29 AM

    @Eamonn Connaghan: I can see a snag with that because they can’t leave the area without petrol. Mind you, they could ration it, and triple the price?

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    Mute Leadóg
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:23 AM

    That’s partition for ya.

    29
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    Mute Conan Campbell
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:07 PM

    @Leadóg: The abomination that keeps on giving.

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    Mute Paul MacNamara
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:59 AM

    Where is the PSNI . They shoukd be stopping their citizens from crossing the border. Uk lockdown which includes Northern Ireland is more restrictive than the Republic’s . Come on PSNI do your jobs and keep northerns out of the Republic

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    Mute Tony Kennedy
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    Apr 27th 2020, 2:02 PM

    Keep the Nordies out FFS

    8
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    Mute Kieran Feely
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    Apr 27th 2020, 11:36 AM

    The Health Act 2020 gives the minister for health the power to make regulations to restrict travel to or from the State.

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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Apr 27th 2020, 12:44 PM

    If people in Donegal are following the rules, only going out to buy essentials, short duration exercise within 2km of the home and when out maintaining social distancing, then what’s the issue ? Surely Inisowen, Buncrana or wherever is not so tightly packed with tourists that locals cannot stay 2m away from them if and when they need to be outside ?

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    Mute Tony Harris
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:25 AM

    Just Luke our own idiots who refuse to stick to the guidelines, stay away from them! Problem solved?

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    Mute Tony Harris
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    Apr 27th 2020, 9:43 AM

    @Tony Harris: sorry Luke!!!!

    11
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    Mute Karl Mc Cauley
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    Apr 27th 2020, 2:20 PM

    People need to get a grip on reality, Ok, so the Garda can’t arrest some one from the North for breaking Covid 19 regulations, but they can ask that they return home, and if the fail or refuse to do that, they can then be arrested for not following the direction of a Garda.. the Garda are not powerless. And for those out there that don’t realise it, until a new Government is elected there will be no new powers.

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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Apr 27th 2020, 5:53 PM

    @Karl Mc Cauley: Which law gives a Garda the power to ask someone to leave the State and then arrest them if they refuse to comply ?

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    Mute Jim Moran
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    Apr 27th 2020, 4:57 PM

    Covered or not covered they should be sent pack and of course if they had any respect they would stay at home. And who are they going to sue if they are turned back. Ffs stay at home

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    Mute Louisa Anna Harley
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    May 28th 2020, 5:44 PM

    It’s the end of May now soon and so many holiday homes and mobile homes are being lived in, the spread will never stop if this is not curtailed …its quite disheartening when you have witnessed people with the virus die,

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    Mute johnbrady
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    Apr 27th 2020, 3:40 PM

    On the spot fines is the way forward. Arresting people is not ideal. The PSNI fined 300 people in a weekend

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    Mute Louisa Anna Harley
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    May 28th 2020, 5:44 PM

    It’s the end of May now soon and so many holiday homes and mobile homes are being lived in, the spread will never stop if this is not curtailed …its quite disheartening when you have witnessed people with the virus die,

    1
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