Executive agrees tougher penalties for Covid19 breaches

By Q Radio News

Executive ministers have agreed to increase penalties for breaches of Covid-19 rules in Northern Ireland.

At a meeting at Stormont, ministers also decided to extend the places where wearing a face covering is mandatory.

It is understood the standard £60 fixed penalty notice will be increased to £200 while the maximum fine for breaching a prohibition notice in relation to house parties will rise to £10,000.

The new regulations are set to come into force next week.

Among the places and situations face coverings are to become mandatory include office spaces, banks and building societies, and when getting onto planes.

It comes after 923 new cases of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland were confirmed by to the Department of Health.

Some 4,674 cases have been reported in the last seven days, bringing the overall total number of cases confirmed in the region to 17,110.

One further death has been reported by the department, bringing the toll to 587.

Stormont ministers have also agreed a new regime of penalties for breaches of Covid-19 rules in Northern Ireland.

The standard £60 fixed penalty notice will be replaced by a single tariff of £200.

Three other offences will be punishable on conviction by a fine of up to £10,000, or attract a fixed penalty notice starting at £1,000 and going up to maximum of £10,000.

The first of these is not closing a business as required under the regulations.

Two other new offences are being introduced – breaching the early closing requirements for hospitality and not implementing measures to maintain social distancing.

Mrs Foster said Justice Minister Naomi Long and the Executive are also considering to an offence relating to organising a large gathering, or an unlicensed event as applies in England and Wales.

First Minister Arlene Foster said the current circumstances “require action from everyone”.

“We all have a responsibility to reduce the spread,” she said.

First Minister Arlene Foster says the rate of growth in Belfast, Newry, Mourne and Down has been “blunted”.

“Unlike the north west, the rate of the infection is not running as hard and as fast as it was in that area,” she said.

“Unfortunately, when we look at the figures today in the north west it still continues to grow exponentially.”

People convicted of 3 Covid breaches could face fines of up to £10,000

Arlene Foster says police have handed out 1,156 £60 fines so far pic.twitter.com/JTqCavLnZE

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 8, 2020

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the situation will be kept under review but said they were told and shown evidence the “curve of the infection is starting to stabilise, particularly in Newry, Mourne and Down”.

“That is down to the actions of people over the last numbers of weeks,” she said.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the Executive is united in approaching the London government in asking for financial support to bring forward measures to deal with the pandemic.

“We will always do what we think is right and proportionate considering all the evidence and all the impacts, and the advice from our scientific and medical experts,” she said.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill tries to encourage people who are tired of the rules by saying a COVID19 vaccine is coming pic.twitter.com/XPvFdW0JNW

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 8, 2020

“The Executive is concerned about the direction of travel set out today by our medical and scientific experts.

“It’s clear that there is a rising curve of cases and hospitalisations, and we will be taking a significant strategic stock-take of the situation and the actions needed to drive down the curve of infection.

“There is no doubt that we together with leaders right across the United Kingdom and beyond are facing some of the toughest decisions that we will ever have to in the days ahead.

“I’m saying to everyone that how far and how hard the Executive will have to go depends on your actions today, tomorrow, over the weekend and the week ahead.”