Gardaí will not clamp down on Christmas family gatherings, says Taoiseach

Gardaí will not knock on people’s doors to suppress gatherings during the Christmas period, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said as he raised the hope that families could come together for a traditional festive celebration.

Under current Level 5 restrictions, gardaí was given the powers to call homes to suppress house parties in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

However, Martin said those powers will not be enacted when people gather to celebrate Christmas, according to the Irish Examiner.

Asked about the possibility of Gardaí knocking on the doors on Christmas Eve, Martin said: “That is not going to happen, that is not going to happen, we all trust here, both individually and collectively.”

A spokesperson for Martin later confirmed that the Garda’s powers were “never intended” to be used to prevent family members from visiting each other, but instead were introduced to cope with house parties and large gatherings.

“I understand that people will want to reunite with their family. People know what works and they know they won’t be in the whip this Christmas. We won’t have the office parties that people had in years past, ”Martin said.

Level 5 forever

Speaking yesterday, the Taoiseach said that “a government-wide exit plan is in the works” in relation to the Covid-19 lockdown currently in place, with a decision due to be made by the end of November.

He indicated that this could include an initial move to Level 3 restrictions, with further easing of the measures closer to the Christmas holidays.

“I want to do better and lower the numbers by the end of the month, that gives us more flexibility and space for the month of December and Christmas and beyond,” he told RTÉ.

“We want a meaningful Christmas, we understand the meaning in our lives, we also understand that one cannot be on Level 5 forever.”

I have the public feeling that they know what will be different

Mr. Martin said he believed lessons had been learned from the summer term.

“I think that will inform people’s behavior before Christmas. I have the public feeling that they know what will be different,” he said.

The Government has suggested that Irish living abroad will be warned not to return home during the festive period and that wet bars will be closed.

Martin also said he believes vulnerable groups will be able to access a Covid-19 vaccine in the first half of 2021, with his “estimate” that the vaccine could be widely available by the middle of next year.

Last night, an additional 482 new Covid-19 cases and seven deaths were confirmed in the state, and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan said the numbers were an important reminder of the “unpredictable nature” of the virus.