Gardaí process 26,000 vetting applications for Covid-related roles including healthcare

Gardaí have processed over 26,000 vetting applications for Covid-related roles - including positions in healthcare.

From 12 March 2020 to 23 May 2020, the Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) has processed 26,633 vetting applications for Covid-related roles.

This includes applications across medical and healthcare roles, and voluntary groups. GNVB is fully up-to-date with all vetting applications with a current turnaround time for vetting applications of one day.

Lockdown restrictions and enforcement in numbers: 

- Gardaí have invoked regulations 263 times out of over a million interactions
- Pre-existing enforcement powers used in 1,752 incidents
- 80 incidents of spitting and/or coughing against members of An Garda Síochána.
- Over 26,600 COVID-relating vetting applications processed – turnaround time one day – no vetting backlog

Gardaí have interacted with tens of thousands of  people while on patrol or at checkpoints during the Covid-19 crisis.

The vast majority were adhering to the public health guidelines.

In what continues to be a small minority of cases across the country, despite receiving a number of warnings, some individuals were still not willing to take steps to comply with the public health guidelines and the regulations were used under the Health Act 1947- Section 31A- Temporary Restrictions (Covid 19) Regulations 2020.

From 8 April, which was when the regulations came into effect, until 23 May 2020 inclusive, Gardaí have invoked the regulations 263 times.

These include both arrests and incidents without arrest where name and address details were taken for consultation with the DPP on the decision to issue charges. Arrest remains a last resort.

Of the 263 incidents, two were as a result of an instruction from a relevant medical professional as per the Act.

As per Garda policy in relation to the regulations, in all cases where arrests were made under the regulations, members of An Garda Síochána must consult with the Director of Public Prosecutions on the decision to charge.

To date, in 66 of these incidents a charge or summons has issued. Most incidents involve a single individual but some have resulted in charges against multiple people. The remainder are under criminal investigation. 

In addition, pre-existing enforcement powers were used in 1,752 incidents where other offences were disclosed in the course of COVID-19 operations.

These range from incidents such as drink driving or disqualified drivers detected at checkpoints, to drugs and weapons seizures, to public order offences.

The number of incidents involving other suspected crimes continues to far exceed the number of cases involving only breaches of Government restrictions.

Commissioner Drew Harris said: "There continues to be very good co-operation by the public with An Garda Síochána in our role of keeping people safe.

"It is vital that we all keep on playing our part in reducing the spreading of COVID-19 by adhering to the updated public health guidelines.
 
"Our priority over the coming weeks will be to ensure this primarily through community engagement at key locations such as parks, beaches and natural beauty spots.

"We also remind people, particularly coming up to the bank holiday weekend, about not travelling to holiday homes or making non-essential journeys.

"At the outset of the COVID-19 situation, I said that An Garda Síochána will continue to operate as a community-based policing service with a focus on protecting the vulnerable. This approach will not change during this phase.”

From 8 April until 23 May 2020 inclusive, there were 80 incidents of spitting and/or coughing against members of An Garda Síochána.

From 8 April until 23 May 2020 inclusive, members of An Garda Síochána had to use anti-spit guards 60 times.
 
"These disgraceful spitting and coughing attacks on Gardaí while simply carrying out their lawful duties remains a serious concern for the organisation. These are a significant health and safety risk to our members in the current environment. We must protect them from such attacks," said Commissioner Harris.

"This includes having the option of using anti-spit guards in very limited circumstances. We have made it clear these anti-spit guards are only to be used as last resort and in line with the Garda Decision Making Model, which includes at its centre human rights and our Code of Ethics," he added. 

Anti-spit guards provide an additional tactical option to be considered by a Garda, as a last resort in a continuum of graduated response, in circumstances where ‘there is clear evidence of spitting now or where a member believes there is a clear and tangible threat of spitting posed by the subject’.

The Garda policy and use of anti-spit guards will be reviewed by An Garda Síochána in September 2020.