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A NEW TWO-WEEK ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown begins in Northern Ireland today.
The restrictions will see the closure of all non-essential retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, and churches, while household gatherings are not permitted.
However, schools are still be allowed to remain open under the restrictions (which can be read in full here).
It comes just a week after a previous five-week ‘cicruit-breaker’ in the North ended, meaning certain businesses were allowed to reopen for one week.
First Minister Arlene Foster said last night that the next two weeks are “crucial” to allow those living in Northern Ireland to have a safe Christmas.
Deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill said that some things needed to be clarified regarding Christmas, which will be discussed at the Stormont executive’s next meeting on Tuesday.
“There is a different in approach across all the jurisdictions in terms of, for example, what a household looks like and it’s important that we define that for ourselves,” O’Neill said.
The latest regulations will last until 10 December, and were agreed during a meeting of the executive’s parties last week.
At the time, Health minister Robin Swann warned that more interventions were necessary before the end of this month to curb the spread of Covid-19.
There were strong divisions among the Stormont executive when the measures were extended the previous week, as ministers struggled to agree on continuing with restrictions.
Both the DUP and Sinn Fein have been at loggerheads recently over how quickly to reopen the economy.
The DUP were criticised for using a peace process-designed veto to thwart its powersharing partner Sinn Féin’s plans to order an extension of Northern Ireland’s circuit-breaker
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So €7k of cocaine and €6.5k of cannabis found. Not exactly jaw dropping amounts for a 100 gardai and even more customs officers involved. I thought the Garda were lacking resources? Doesn’t seem so here, more like overkill .
@Brian Smith: Well Said
Couple of oz of weed.
No biggie in any other country.
@Brian Smith: When marijuana eventually is legalised wait until you see who gets the licences to sell it, friends of those in high places ! Joking aside, it will free up Garda resources and become a revenue stream for the state. Its only a matter of time.
Free the weed.
@Patricia McCarthy: …the focus of today was intelligence gathering…really?! Complete failure so…
100 Gardai to seize, what is in an overall sense, a small quantity of drugs. No doubt there is diligent work going on etc, but we have to start asking ourselves what is the point in it all? Nothing is being stopped for such a huge investment of resources, and we are continuing to leave the safety of our people who use in the hands of those looking to make a quick buck.
@Diarmaid Twomey: equates to about 135 quids worth of police work per Garda, wow!
That’s definitely over €6,500 worth of cannabis in that picture. Only needed 100 gardaí to seize it, too. Money well spent, lads.
100 Gardai to seize that?? Ffs. What a waste of resources
Stop wasting my tax money.
@Michael Grogan: Great comment. Try saying that to people affected by recent events/ tragedies in Foxrock, Athy, Laytown, just to mention a few- in a matter of days..???
@Margate: It takes 100 Gardai to take €13,000 worth of drugs of the street. I’ll say it again. Stop wasting my tax money.
They should’ve used some of those 100 Garda on speed checks on motorways and roads where no pedestrians/ houses or accidents ever happen. Much better use of resources, and make sure they get lots of overtime as well!!!!!
Complete waste of Gardaí resources!
Legalise, regulate, tax!
Gardai only enforce the law, and well done to them as far as I am concerned, good job
What a waste of time and resources. 100 people involved in a small bust. The cost of paying their overtime is probably triple the amount they actually found.
Great, now put them away for a 5 year suspended sentence
@Alan Wallace: i enjoyed that. very good read. thumbs up
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