People have been charged with criminal offences in a quarter of the cases where gardaí used the emergency Covid-19 policing regulations, new garda figures show.
While gardaí say the figures released today continue to show that the vast majority of people are complying with the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, significant issues remain.
In 263 cases, gardaí have had to use enforcement powers either by arresting people or taking their names for breaches of the regulations.
In two of those incidents they acted under the direction of an authorising officer. In 66 of those cases people have been summonsed or charged.