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A proposal to the Cabinet to criminally prosecute those with more than six visitors to their homes was dropped after a last-minute intervention by Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Friday.
According to The Irish Examiner, the proposal to have it as a penal provision was included in the memorandum to the cabinet of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, but when it was debated by ministers, he himself said that it was correct to withdraw from the proposal.
“He agreed to discard the proposal that he himself was bringing,” a source told the examiner.
It is understood that the question of how to approach house parties was the subject of a lengthy debate among ministers and Mr. Martin solicited input from all three parties.
While it was said that there was no disagreement on increasing the powers of the gardaí to prosecute pubs that flaunt the laws, it is clear that there were a variety of opinions expressed on the subject of house parties.
According to sources, a feeling was expressed that Donnelly’s memorandum was overstated and ministers were eager to pursue the enforcement route on enforcement.
Instead, the government agreed to ask people to limit the number of visitors to their home to six.
According to the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), 90 percent of clusters of Covid-19 infections occur in private homes.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the new law applies to house parties, but it will not be a crime.
She said: “We agreed that we would discuss concerns about house parties and gatherings, not only raised by the gardaí but also by NPHET.
“We analyzed a series of options during the last week and a half and what we have we have decided … is that a statutory instrument will be implemented around the number of people who can meet in a home, but there will be no penal provision.”
The government also agreed on Friday night to grant more enforcement powers to gardaí for pubs that don’t meet Covid-19 public health guidelines.
Ms McEntee said the additional powers will complement new regulations being drafted by the Department of Health, which will impose obligations on licensed premises in relation to food and beverage service.
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