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T a o i s e a c h Police in
Micheál Martin has said a Taoiseach: Lockdowns Northern Ireland have IRISH
border poll is not on the issued more than 3,000
agenda for his Government fines and warnings
in the next five years. Needed To Allow related to coronavirus EXAMINER
The Taoiseach was regulations.
speaking at Dublin Castle The 3,118 total |
at the launch of the Shared Return To Normal In includes 45 fines of
Island Initiative, one of his £1,000 (€1,103) for October
Government’s flagship poli- December failure to self-isolate.
cies. There have also been
The project has seen 1,598 penalty notices, 28th,
€500 million ringfenced for 1,075 community reso-
investment in North-South lution notices and 400 2020
initiatives over five years. prohibition notices
But the Taoiseach sought handed out since
to allay Unionist fears that March.
the unit would serve as a The Police Service of
“stalking horse” for a unit- Northern Ireland (PSNI)
ed Ireland. released the figures on
He said: “The Monday as part of their
Government has said that, weekly update on polic-
for the next five years, a ing the regulations.
border poll is not on our The vast majority of
agenda. the fines or warnings
“I’ve also made it clear were issued in the
that my approach is Belfast City Council
through consensus and lis- area (1,327).
tening and engagement. Next was Derry City
“Unionists, from my he Taoiseach has said tinued to allocate the Mr Martin also appeared to and Strabane (503),
experience over the years, an important objective resources necessary to the rule out the introduction of followed by Newry,
get the necessity and Tof Ireland’s newly health service, both in terms curfews as an additional lock- Mourne and Down
importance of engagement introduced lockdown was to of building up testing and trac- down measure, as has been (240), Armagh,
and
North/South. allow people to return to their ing capacity and also hospital done in places like France. Banbridge (236),
Craigavon
“There is no ideological daily routines in December. capacity. He said: “I’m not really the
opposition to the idea of Micheál Martin said the six- “I believe that if we all curfew type. I’m not being Antrim and
Newtownabbey (169)
working North/South week lockdown will be work together we can achieve flippant. I don’t see that. Other and Fermanagh and
whilst respecting people’s “severe” on people and busi- this.” countries are doing things dif- Omagh (167).
identity and constitutional nesses. He added: “We’re deter- ferently. The fewest have been
perspectives. He called on the public to mined that for the month of “Before the curfew, they handed out in the
“We want to create work together and observe December in particular, peo- will be having activities that Lisburn and
opportunities through the the regulations in the hope ple will get an opportunity to we won’t be having. I’m not Castlereagh council
shared unit where union- that some businesses could engage in their daily routines, of a mind to embrace that con- area (49).
ism, both civic unionism return before Christmas. in particular certain employ- cept as of now. But I’m always Meanwhile, cases of
He said: “The six-week
and political unionism, can lockdown is very severe on ments can come back into play listening to the latest research the virus continued to
as well.”
ahead of that crucial period.
input, in terms of various many people, on many busi- “That is an important While the Government has rise across the weekend
fora that might be created nesses. The virus is on the rise objective. But it can only be introduced tough new fines as the North faces
or through political dia- across Europe. achieved if we all work togeth- for those who fail to comply tougher restrictions on
logue itself.” “The Government has con- er.” with the guidelines, he sug- movement for four
The Taoiseach said scop- gested they would be used weeks.
ing would take place on the “We’re determined that for the sparingly, and target repeat A ward at Ulster
viability of high-speed offenders. Hospital on the out-
cross-border rail links. month of December in He said: “We don’t want to skirts of Belfast has
He said progress is over- be fining anybody. This is closed to new admis-
due on a number of other particular, people will get an about a culture of compliance. sions due to patients
North-South initiatives, “The gardaí have done very and staff being affected
including the A5 transport opportunity to engage in their well in terms of engaging with by Covid-19.
corridor, the Ulster Canal the public. That’s a last resort The South Eastern
and the Narrow Water daily routines, in particular as Justice Minister Helen Health Trust has con-
Bridge. certain employments can come McEntee said.” firmed there are “cur-
He added: “Through the He added: “The gardaí are rently a number of staff
Shared Island Fund, the back into play ahead of that only interested in compliance. and patients affected
Nonetheless, some do need to
Government is ready to know that you can’t just, on a by Covid-19 in a med-
meet our commitments to crucial period.” serial basis, keep on breaking ical ward at the Ulster
these projects. C the regulations.” C Hospital”. C

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