The Gardai have delivered a stern rebuke to those planning on travelling abroad amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Officers are warning that "going on a holiday abroad is not essential travel" as the cops step up their presence at airports and harbours around the country.
The caution comes as public anger grows over the number of people who appear to have jetted off to the sun even as case numbers exploded over the last month.
Many are calling for tightened restrictions on who can travel into the country, with demands for a 'zero-Covid' strategy gaining traction among commentators and opposition politicians.
The Government is to introduce a €500 fine for those caught attempting to leave the country for non-essential reasons.
The Taoiseach yesterday blasted people who've opted to head overseas amid the pandemic, telling the Dail the the practice "needs to stop."
The Irish Mirror yesterday reported that publicans in Lanzarote had seen an uptick in the number of Irish tourists arriving over Christmas and the New Year.
One bar owner – Sinead, from Murphy's Pub in Puerto del Carmen – said there had been a noticeable increase in visitors from Ireland over the festive season.
Referencing Irish tourist numbers, she told the Irish Mirror: "Over the Christmas period, there was an increase, but since then, no, it's gone down again. So for the Christmas period, Christmas week, New Year's week, there was a bit."
Sinead said that there was a mix of both regular holidaymakers and people from Ireland visiting their holiday homes.
Earlier in the week, an RTE report showing a number of holidaymakers returning to Dublin Airport from Spain sparked controversy on social media.
Journalist Conor McMorrow spoke to a planeload of people coming from Madrid, as well as travellers who had been on holidays in Lanzarote.
One man said: "They’re very sensible. In Lanzarote, you have to have a mask on the street. If you don’t wear a mask, it’s a €100 fine.
"The bars close at 6 o’clock on the dot. There is a curfew at 10pm.
"It’s all Irish people there."
