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Bloomberg
Ireland handed its police sweeping powers to limit travel as part of its efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus as the nation heads into the Easter holiday.
The government gave the police powers to arrest people traveling more than 2 kilometers from their home or on non-essential business. If convicted, they could face as long as six months in prison or a 2,500 euro ($2,714) fine. Until to the introduction of the new powers, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar had asked people to restrict their travel, but police had few failsafe means of enforcing compliance.
The regulations will allow police “to have these in their back pocket for the occasion when they may be need,†Health Minister Simon Harris said on RTE Radio. “We’re expecting it to be used very sparingly.â€
The government has effectively locked down Ireland, closing non-essential business to combat the outbreak. The Easter weekend is traditionally a major holiday in Ireland.