SHOCKING SCENES AT PACKED HOUSE PARTIES
Gardaí prepare case after festive revellers in Rathkeale flout Covid rules
GARDAÍ are preparing files for the Director of Public Prosecutions as part of investigations into alleged flouting of maskwearing and social- distancing guidelines in Rathkeale.
Officers said that they had encountered large gatherings in the town.
It follows the sharing of videos on social media of Christmas house parties, which informed sources said took place in Rathkeale in recent days.
One of the videos shows a packed party in full swing in a house in the west Limerick town, the source confirmed.
Another video, believed to have been recorded in Rathkeale in recent days, shows a group of sweaty topless men hugging one another in a house with Christmas decorations.
A Garda spokesman confirmed that ‘files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions following incidents in Rathkeale across the Christmas period involving gatherings by large groups at private establishments and on public thoroughfares in the town’.
In response to a query about the videos circulating online, the garda spokesman said: ‘An Garda Síochána does not comment on statements made by third parties or materials provided by third parties.
‘The Covid-19 pandemic remains a public health crisis and An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to all citizens to comply with public health guidelines and regulations,’ the spokesman said.
While some locals have complained that Rathkeale has been unfairly singled out, others complained that some visitors to the town have flouted the rules, by attending house parties, and not adhering to mask wearing and social distancing. Locals have also expressed concern over the potential spread of Covid-19 with over 1,000 members of the Travelling community arriving into Rathkeale i n recent days f rom the UK and beyond.
Every year the town’s population effectively doubles to around 3,000 as visitors return to visit relatives, attend weddings, Christenings, and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
With a mutant form of coronavirus first discovered in the UK and now found in Ireland, locals also expressed concern that some visitors to the town – who have transited through or directly from Britain — could spread the new variant of the virus, which is said to be 70% more transmissible.
Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins, who contacted gardaí about the videos circulating online, said he believes there needs to be a ‘greater garda presence’ in Rathkeale.
‘ I’ ve asked f or more garda resources to be dedicated to the town. The videos circulating are very alarming, and the local community is very concerned and upset,’ said Deputy Collins.
Meanwhile, Martin Collins, codirector of Traveller rights group Pavee Point, criticised anyone who has travelled to Rathkeale from abroad during the pandemic. He said ‘everybody is absolutely [right] to be concerned about Rathkeale’, and he reiterated that anyone, including members of the Travelling community, who is thinking of travelling to Rathkeale, should ‘stay put’ at home.
Figures published by the Health Protection and Surveillance Centre from December 8-21, show that the Adare-Rathkeale area, a population of over 27,000, which extends far beyond the Rathkeale town and into other west Limerick towns and villages, is above the national average at 353.7 cases per 100,000 population, with 98 cases in total.
Other parts of Limerick are also above the average, including Newcastle West and City East.
Fintan Walsh, communications specialist with Public Health Mid West, tweeted that between last Tuesday and Friday ‘there was an increase of 240 Covid-19 cases in Limerick’.
Limerick’s 14-day incidence rate was ‘334.5 per 100,000 after 652
‘The videos circulating are very alarming’ ‘We can only enforce penal regulations’
cases were recorded the past two weeks... we have yet to see the impact of Christmas celebrations,’ Mr Walsh added.
A garda spokesman said: ‘ The Department of Health are the lead Department with regard to the public health response to the Covid-19 pandemic.’
They explained that temporary restrictions and regulations under the Health Act 1947 ‘ provide for organised outdoor events in certain circumstances, and provision of business, including food and intoxicating liquor. An Garda Síochána’s function is to check that businesses are open as provided for by the regulations.’
Gardaí added that the wearing of face masks and social distancing was a ‘personal social responsibility’. ‘ An Garda Síochána can only enforce penal regulat i ons, not guidelines,’ said the spokesman.