Covid fines will go to frontline workers

A District Judge has ruled that a spate of fines issued for breaches of the Covid rules on travel and social gatherings will all go towards rewarding frontline workers in the run up to Christmas.

Judge James Faughnan said that the under-pressure health workers had done tremendous work over the past couple of years and deserved their down time.

He was speaking after a number of revellers turned up at Tuam District Court – each with several hundred euros in cash, having been convicted at a previous sitting of breaching the Covid guidelines by attending a house party at the height of the pandemic.

Others were stopped by Gardaí while making trips beyond the 5km restriction without having a valid reason – and they were also asked to come to court with cash sums.

A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of one man who attended one of the parties held in Tuam, when he failed to pay the on-the-spot fine and did not turn up in court on foot of a summons.

During the hearings, Judge Faughnan remarked that it was somewhat ironic that those attending illegal house parties were now making deserved contributions towards the frontline workers.

The funds collected by the courts are dispatched by the Court Service and can be used for social events as opposed to direct payments being made to individual frontline workers.

Those administrating the fund can also direct some of it towards charitable causes or even to provide medical aid to members who burned out by the stress.

Judge Faughnan warned that those who did not obey the order of the court would be facing a term in prison – as he described breaches of the Covid restrictions as intolerable.

Read the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie