Gardai have been told coronavirus lockdown restrictions don't apply to people coming here on day trips from Northern Ireland.
Officers in the border regions have been told not to arrest these people, even though in many cases they will be flouting movement restrictions put in place last month, according to RTE News.
A gap in legislation signed by Health Minister Simon Harris means the new regulations don't apply to those living outside the State.
Generally, gardai have been manning checkpoints around the country to turn back people who are travelling around further than two kilometres for what have been deemed unnecessary journeys in the time of the pandemic.
Very few arrests have been required so far.
But the new rules were questioned by a senior officer in a border region, who queried HQ about the matter.
RTE reports the regulations signed by Mr Harris state that the restrictions on movement apply to people "whose place of residence is located within a relevant geographical location" and that a place of residence means "a person's home".
Garda HQ has now told its members about the gap and that the regulations do not apply to day trippers from the North.
But Garda Commissioner Drew Harris added that someone travels to a holiday home here, then that becomes their place of residence - and the restrictions can then be applied.
The Department of Health insisted to RTE tonight there is nothing wrong with the regulations.
It accepted the issue at hand but pointed out that it was always aware of the issue and that there are also movement restrictions in Northern Ireland.
