New fines for breaching coronavirus restrictions and regulations will come into place in the coming days, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said.
Last week, the Cabinet agreed on a system of penalties and fines for people that are not wearing a face mask in shops and public transport, and those found to be breaching the five-kilometre travel limit.
Gardai will also be given the power to fine house owners who refuse to break up a party, and fine each person attending such a gathering.
The new legislation had been signed by the President, but it had taken a while for the Garda Pulse system to be updated.
During a previous interview, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said new fines for breaches of coronavirus restrictions will be applied to 'a very small minority of people' but speaking with Newstalk, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the fines will be in place "within days."
The crackdown will also mean Gardaí can fine someone they suspect of being on their way to a house party who refuses to leave the area. In terms of the figures, people will be fined €1,000 for throwing a party, which will rise to €2,500 and six months in jail for further offences.
As for those people who refuse to wear a mask in shops/public transport or adhere to the five-kilometre rule, fines will also be introduced for those people, however, the amount has not been decided yet.
Minister McEntee said that the Gardai are updating their systems for the new measures and that the new system of fines will be in place "within days."
"The legislation itself has been signed by the President, but it will take a number of days for the Gardaí. They have to update their systems under the Pulse system, so we expect to have that in the coming days.
"As people might be aware, there are already penalties there for a lot of the provisions that will be included under these fine systems.
"So whether it's the five-kilometre limit, whether it's wearing face masks in public, on public transport or in shops or some of the other penal provisions... it's a very severe penalty of up to €2,500 or potentially six months in prison.
"These fines will obviously be more graduated, and I think - and the Minister for Health obviously feels - would be more appropriate for the breach that we're talking about but this is something that will come in very soon," she said.
Minister McEntee also added that a large focus of the new legislation is to specifically target house parties and gatherings.
"What is already in play though, and what was very much quite a significant part of the legislation last week, is around house parties and gatherings.
"That will be part of the graduated fine system, but already if a person refuses to comply with a direction from a Guard where they call to a house where there's a party happening, where they refuse to stop the party and send people home, then there is a measure there for Gardaí to be able to take action".
"So there are a number of measures from the legislation that have come into effect already".
