McEntee calls for ‘self-control’ after photographs show crowds drinking on Dublin streets
JUSTICE Minister Helen McEntee has urged the public to take “personal responsibility” to stop the spread of the coronavirus after concerns were raised about social distancing outside pubs and restaurants.
The new minister said people should consider not entering a premises if it was too crowded, and leave if they had been somewhere for an extended period of time.
“It means exercising judgment and self-control for your own sake, as well as the collective good,” she told the Irish Independent.
Ms McEntee’s comments follow images of crowds of people gathering outside pubs.
Gardaí carried out searches of pubs around the country over the weekend to make sure they were complying with health and safety rules.
The minister said the inspections found the “overwhelming majority” of businesses, including pubs and restaurants, were re-opening in a “responsible manner”, which is ensuring staff and customers are being kept safe.
“It is crucial for the industry that they continue to do so, and that we can keep our pubs, restaurants and cafés open in a safe and controlled manner while the virus is still with us,” she said.
“There is a strong onus on business owners, employees and customers to obey both the spirit and the letter of the guidance and we expect the vast majority to do so. This has been the experience in all other phases of reopening of the economy.”
Photographs and videos emerged on social media over the weekend showing hundreds of young people congregating to drink on Dame Lane in Dublin city centre.
Dr Maitiu O Tuathail, a Dublin GP, drove past Dame Lane “gobsmacked” by what he saw and warned “Covid-19 isn’t over”.
“It was like Dublin on an All-Ireland final night,” he told the Irish Independent.
“On Saturday morning I drove past the Aviva and there was a queue of at least 15 people waiting to get a Covid-19 test at 9am.
“We went weeks at my practice without anyone having a test and now, this week, we have an increasing number looking for testing.
“I work with the ambulance service too and they’re seeing an increase in requests for home testing.
“This feels like two worlds colliding. After last night, we could be two to three weeks from a second wave.
“It’s overwhelming. For some young people, the Covid-19 message, that this kills old people, isn’t working.
“Everyone out on Dame Lane on Saturday night was in their 20s and 30s. They may get sick with Covid-19 and pass it on to
‘This feels like two worlds colliding. It’s overwhelming’
They may get sick with Covid19 and pass it on
their mother, father, grandparents and they could die.
“Just one person on Dame Lane who had Covid-19 could now spread it to hundreds of people, as there’s a two-week incubation period.”
Dr O Tuathail said his colleagues were “psychologically traumatised. People saw that on ‘RTÉ Investigates’.”
Medics were “not ready for a second wave, they’re not able right now”, he added.
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) said it “utterly condemns” the images of crowds drinking together.
The group, which represents pubs, said it was “jeopardising public health, given the lack of social distancing observed”.
It added: “We are reminding pubs who are serving takeout of their responsibilities.
“Legal advice issued by the gardaí in May said that any drinks purchased as takeaways must be consumed more than 100 metres from the pub which sold the alcohol.
“The advice also indicated the gardaí have the power to confiscate drink being consumed on the road or in a public place.
“We are also aware that members of the public are bringing alcohol purchased from off-licences with them to these locations. Such drinking in public spaces presents a terrible image of our city centre...
“The LVA fully supports measures being taken by the gardaí to manage these issues.”
A Garda spokesman said the force “continues to enforce existing legislation where appropriate to do so”.
“Where potential breaches of the public health regulations are identified, and where a person/business does not come into compliance with the regulations, a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed,” he added.