Eleven fined for Covid breaches at late-night party in Athlone

On-the-spot fines have been issued to eleven people for "flagrant" breaches of Covid regulations at a party in Athlone during the early hours of this morning (Friday).

Sergeant Andrew Haran of Athlone Garda Station told the Westmeath Independent that Gardai were called to an apartment on the Dublin Road with a report of a noisy house party taking place there at 5am.

He said eleven people at the gathering were found to be in breach of the Covid regulations, and each of them was issued with a fixed charge penalty notice of €100.

Last weekend, Gardai stationed in Athlone issued fines to a small number of people for Covid breaches at a gathering at a house in Castletown Geoghegan.

However, Sergeant Haran said the incident overnight was the first gathering in Athlone to result in a significant number of fines being issued for breaches of the Covid regulations.

"This was the first one we've attended where flagrant breaches were observed, and the ticket (fine) was the appropriate course of action," he said.

On Monday, the Garda press office said over 150 fines were issued last weekend to people who organised or attended house parties.

In addition to the gathering in Castletown Geoghegan, Gardai were called to house parties in Dublin, Sligo, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Limerick, Cork and Tipperary.

The largest gatherings last weekend involved groups of up to 30 people, a Garda spokesperson stated.

Under the current restrictions, it is unlawful to host an event in a private home unless it is just for the residents or people in a paired household.

It is also unlawful to go to an event in someone else’s home unless you are part of a paired household. Non-compliance is an offence and can result in a fixed penalty notice or prosecution.