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The secretary general of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has asked for clarification on what the force is being asked to do about enforcing Level 3 restrictions.
Antoinette Cunningham asked why the details of the implementation measures for each level of the Living with Covid plan were not included. If such details had been included, it would mean that the public and the Gardaí would know what would happen as each level was introduced, she said.
The increased visibility of gardaí was always positive, but the force would prefer to continue with the police with consent, he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.
Gardaí has to manage public and political expectations, but they still don’t know what their powers are, he said.
Responding to criticism of the gardaí’s role during the recent anti-mask protests, Ms Cunningham noted that the right to protest peacefully remained, but that there was the question of whether it was appropriate for that to happen during a national pandemic.
“We have to handle the situation the best we can.”
Everyone should act responsibly, he urged. There was an expectation that the gardaí could “come in and break up” such protests, but they only had the power to deal with the organizers and not the attendees of such events, Ms Cunningham said.
Different situations will require a gradual response from Garda, he added.
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