What is the actual rationale for keeping people inside their counties?

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:10pm #1

I can understand it if there is a disparity in infection rates between two different counties

If there isn't I don't see it as being justified

It is also highly arbitrary

I hated the 2k, 5k thing during the first lockdown. I could never figure it why it was there. Weeks after it ended I heard someone, Simon Harris I think, saying it was really there to keep people in their homes. That if there was no-where to go they'd just stay in their homes.

Is this really to prevent people going to hotels?

09-10-2020 9:12pm

Are you actually serious?
It was to stop people travelling around the country, thereby spreading the disease.
Would have thought that obvious

prunudo · 09-10-2020 9:14pm

a148pro wrote: »

I can understand it if there is a disparity in infection rates between two different counties

If there isn't I don't see it as being justified

It is also highly arbitrary

I hated the 2k, 5k thing during the first lockdown. I could never figure it why it was there. Weeks after it ended I heard someone, Simon Harris I think, saying it was really there to keep people in their homes. That if there was no-where to go they'd just stay in their homes.

Is this really to prevent people going to hotels?

Or why are the gardai only setting up checkpoints out of Dublin now and not 3 weeks ago when Dublin went to level 3. If they had, maybe the country cases might not have risen to what they are now.

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:20pm

bubblypop wrote: »

Are you actually serious?
It was to stop people travelling around the country, thereby spreading the disease.
Would have thought that obvious

Right. So you're allowed travel around your own county, and spread the disease?

09-10-2020 9:22pm

a148pro wrote: »

Right. So you're allowed travel around your own county, and spread the disease?

?
Within a small area. How else do you stop it spreading around the whole country?

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 9:25pm

Without penalties there is **** all the gardai can do at these checkpoints, they can’t force you to turn back and the system is easily manipulated. Absolutely pointless

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:27pm

Its already spread throughout the whole country. Absent a significant disparity in case numbers between different counties I don't see why people can't travel between counties. And it certainly isn't "living with the virus".

Now if the argument is we don't want you going to hotels, bnbs, fair enough. But then make it "no hotels, no bnbs". A decent number of people would have holiday homes, a decent number of hotels will be open anyway. And more importantly, loads of people live close enough to other counties that they can go in and out without having any interaction with people at all.

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 9:30pm

a148pro wrote: »

Its already spread throughout the whole country. Absent a significant disparity in case numbers between different counties I don't see why people can't travel between counties. And it certainly isn't "living with the virus".

Now if the argument is we don't want you going to hotels, bnbs, fair enough. But then make it "no hotels, no bnbs". A decent number of people would have holiday homes, a decent number of hotels will be open anyway. And more importantly, loads of people live close enough to other counties that they can go in and out without having any interaction with people at all.

Yes and that is what’s missing from this whole excercise is logic of any sort - there’s no distinction on reasons, just a blunt where are you going and why. Personally I’m ignoring these this time, I live in limerick and parents live in clare and I will in my bollix not see them for x amount of time again. Been there done that and I’m not doing it again. Neither house has covid or symptoms and never had so these checkpoints can **** off, I have no intention of restricting travel for 2 months again

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:33pm

I mean its ridiculous to say to someone who lives a hundred meters from a county boundary, you can't walk a hundred meters down the road. Its ridiculous, in general, let alone at a time of appalling stress and mental health pressures to say you can't go for a cycle in the county next door, can't visit a beauty spot, can't go for a walk in the hills.

Its totally arbitrary. I appreciate in March the government were in the thick of things fighting fires, but this has been coming for months and there's plenty of time to introduce something more nuanced now.

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:36pm

Parabellum9 wrote: »

Yes and that is what’s missing from this whole excercise is logic of any sort - there’s no distinction on reasons, just a blunt where are you going and why. Personally I’m ignoring these this time, I live in limerick and parents live in clare and I will in my bollix not see them for x amount of time again. Been there done that and I’m not doing it again. Neither house has covid or symptoms and never had so these checkpoints can **** off, I have no intention of restricting travel for 2 months again

This is what is pissing me off. I've basically been living in level 5 for the last few months. I don't have people in the house, I only meet people outside, I've insisted on wearing a mask in work when no-one did. And I've been visiting beautiful places in Ireland to compensate.

I've basically being avoiding doing anything that might be a public health risk. Travelling into another county is not a public health risk. Meeting people at close quarters inside is.

Beasty · 09-10-2020 9:38pm

People will typically know where their county boundaries are. Yes to some extent arbitrary, but there is no better way to try and limit spread in a country like Ireland. If, for example, you went with cities, where would the Dublin boundary be? the M50? what about places like Blanchardstown?

And there are exemptions for essential travel (including grocery shopping), and education

What better way of restricting movement would you suggest OP?

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 9:39pm

a148pro wrote: »

This is what is pissing me off. I've basically been living in level 5 for the last few months. I don't have people in the house, I only meet people outside, I've insisted on wearing a mask in work when no-one did. And I've been visiting beautiful places in Ireland to compensate.

I've basically being avoiding doing anything that might be a public health risk. Travelling into another county is not a public health risk. Meeting people at close quarters inside is.

Yes and I’ve been the same, I’ve followed all the advice and I spent nearly 3 months from March to June without seeing any of my family. I’ve been there and done that and I am not doing it again, couldn’t give a **** if they invent level 17 restrictions.

cython · 09-10-2020 9:42pm

prunudo wrote: »

Or why are the gardai only setting up checkpoints out of Dublin now and not 3 weeks ago when Dublin went to level 3. If they had, maybe the country cases might not have risen to what they are now.

Even the dog in the street knew the problem with putting Dublin only under Level 3 and that checkpoints would not be a feature. The hub and spoke nature of the national road network centred on Dublin meant that checkpoints on Dublin were impossible without impacting either or both of intra county or through traffic. Blockading the county would disrupt all through traffic, and plenty of local journeys use the same roads, precluding checkpoints at local access to the same roads.

Now with the whole country expected to stay local, through traffic should be minimised and limited to freight and essential journeys, so checkpoints at county edges are a lot more justifiable.

Uncle Pierre · 09-10-2020 9:44pm

For an extreme example of how a blanket "don't leave your own county" rule doesn't make sense, there are sportsgrounds in Clonegal, with a couple of soccer pitches and a GAA pitch, that are said to straddle three counties - Carlow, Wicklow, and Wexford. I've heard it said that you can literally kick a ball out in one county, and have it land in another.

There might not be any matches going on at the moment anyway, but even the walking track around the perimeter spans three counties in the space of a few hundred metres. Should there be checkpoints set up there, I wonder?

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:48pm

Beasty wrote: »

Yes to some extent arbitrary, but there is no better way to try and limit spread in a country like Ireland.

But it doesn't limit the spread. At all. If two counties have the same levels, and the people in them continue to mix only within their counties then the same number of people will be infected.

I suppose what I'd do is actually target where the virus is spreading, which is people's houses. There was a report in the Irish times, I think they pointed to 400 outbreaks in houses and like 23 in hotels and restaurants.

So instead they stop people going for a walk in a different county. They won't tackle the house because, and I mean this seriously, our post Catholic hangover that what happens in the home stays in the home. I know its in the Constitution but that's really where it comes from, an idea that its indecent to interfere with what people do in their own homes.

But that is apparently where its spreading. So target that.

I am totally fcked off with the arbitrary distinctions and failure to do some of the most basic and obvious things, from the off, because of some shibboleth type principle that can't be called into question (closing the borders in February / March, going for elimination, restricting foreign visits).

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:53pm

I mean you can make an argument that there will be more people using petrol stations / public transport / toilets / cafes if they're allowed travel out of their county. But is it suggested that these are causes of infection? If they are they should probably be closed or operated in a way that's safe? Is there not something more nuanced than a county boundary.

Much like the other poster I can't subscribe to stuff that's crap, particularly at a time when real issues are not being tackled.

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:55pm

Beasty wrote: »

What better way of restricting movement would you suggest OP?

Sorry to come back a second time, but why are we looking to restrict movement? Movement doesn't cause infection, close contact does.

Am I missing something?

I wonder should I just tweet one of the NPHET guys? Would they reply I wonder/

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 9:57pm

a148pro wrote: »

I mean you can make an argument that there will be more people using petrol stations / public transport / toilets / cafes if they're allowed travel out of their county. But is it suggested that these are causes of infection? If they are they should probably be closed or operated in a way that's safe? Is there not something more nuanced than a county boundary.

Much like the other poster I can't subscribe to stuff that's crap, particularly at a time when real issues are not being tackled.

Phil Hogan can travel acrosss Europe to attend a dinner and the other golfgate pricks can do whatever they want but Joe Soap better stay in your county cos the gardai are doing checkpoints? **** outta that, it might have been accepted in March/April but they can go jump at this stage.

Uncle Pierre · 09-10-2020 9:57pm

Beasty wrote: »

What better way of restricting movement would you suggest OP?

Am not the OP but would suggest myself that a better way would be to put an overall limit on the distance you can travel from home. Would hazard a guess that in even the most remote part of the country, something like a 40km limit would still allow you access to all essentials such as a supermarket, doctor, etc.

Doing it purely by county boundaries is far too inconsistent. Driving from the end of West Cork to somewhere like Youghal in East Cork is something like 175km.

Even in my own county of Wexford, a trip like Duncannon to Gorey is about 85km, and that's perfectly permissible too.

But next door to us in County Carlow, it's only about 25km to go the full length of the county from Kildavin at one end to Carlow town at the other.

So, you could start in Kildavin, drive just 30km, and be breaking the rules. Yet if you started from somewhere else in a larger county, you could drive up to six times that distance, and be doing nothing wrong. That makes no sense.

Damien360 · 09-10-2020 10:03pm

Parabellum9 wrote: »

Phil Hogan can travel acrosss Europe to attend a dinner and the other golfgate pricks can do whatever they want but Joe Soap better stay in your county cos the gardai are doing checkpoints? **** outta that, it might have been accepted in March/April but they can go jump at this stage.

Don’t forget the funeral in the north

As long as every single fine handed out can be argued in court in front of a judge, it is unenforceable. All it takes is one judge ignoring the fine and the whole thing falls apart

Thierry12 · 09-10-2020 10:05pm

Parabellum9 wrote: »

Phil Hogan can travel acrosss Europe to attend a dinner and the other golfgate pricks can do whatever they want but Joe Soap better stay in your county cos the gardai are doing checkpoints? **** outta that, it might have been accepted in March/April but they can go jump at this stage.

You'll be given the vaccine first if you keep up that attitude

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 10:07pm

Thierry12 wrote: »

You'll be given the vaccine first if you keep up that attitude

I’ll be first in line for a vaccine for this bull****, I’m sick of it. Sick of the double standards, the fear mongering by both NPHET and our media and all the other nonsense. **** the “new normal”, I want our normal back ASAP

Beasty · 09-10-2020 10:09pm

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Am not the OP but would suggest myself that a better way would be to put an overall limit on the distance you can travel from home. Would hazard a guess that in even the most remote part of the country, something like a 40km limit would still allow you access to all essentials such as a supermarket, doctor, etc.

And how could this be policed? They have to be pragmatic.

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 10:10pm

Beasty wrote: »

And how could this be policed? They have to be pragmatic.

It’s a simple question they are asking already - where are you coming from and where are you going?

Beasty · 09-10-2020 10:14pm

Parabellum9 wrote: »

It’s a simple question they are asking already - where are you coming from and where are you going?

And that's at county boundaries

There is no question of where the "boundary" is, and the boundaries can be policed. Otherwise it would be random checkpoints with little "intelligence" over whether a particular traveller is within their "limit" or not. This way it's quite straighforward (even if there are no enforcement powers at present)

Simply much more pragmatic than a distance restriction

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 10:19pm

Beasty wrote: »

And that's at county boundaries

There is no question of where the "boundary" is, and the boundaries can be policed. Otherwise it would be random checkpoints with little "intelligence" over whether a particular traveller is within their "limit" or not. This way it's quite straighforward (even if there are no enforcement powers at present)

Simply much more pragmatic than a distance restriction

Yes but look at this way (and you’d expect to have gardai with the competency of geography to understand) - I live in Limerick, my parents are approx 25-30 km away on the clare side. With a 40 restriction, they should be able to easily deduce that me visiting my parents is not breaking any distance rules etc. However if I get stopped at limerick tunnel and say I’m going to Galway, then I can be forced to turn back or face penalties. At the moment the system is nothing but nonsense, a person coming from the far end of Corbally (far end of limerick city/determined to be under clare) can’t cross the line to visit Caherdavin (which is essentially a 10 min drive from there because it’s in Limerick). It is nothing but nonsense.

completedit · 09-10-2020 10:22pm

Parabellum9 wrote: »

Yes but look at this way (and you’d expect to have gardai with the competency of geography to understand) - I live in Limerick, my parents are approx 25-30 km away on the clare side. With a 40 restriction, they should be able to easily deduce that me visiting my parents is not breaking any distance rules etc. However if I get stopped at limerick tunnel and say I’m going to Galway, then I can be forced to turn back or face penalties. At the moment the system is nothing but nonsense, a person coming from the far end of Corbally (far end of limerick city/determined to be under clare) can’t cross the line to visit Caherdavin (which is essentially a 10 min drive from there because it’s in Limerick). It is nothing but nonsense.

I think these restrictions are always to hopefully get the highest number of people on board. Like the way some people were happy to go abroad while others complied fully. In your scenario, nobody is going to do anything to the person circumventing the rules. They just want to create a stigma to doing it and hope people comply

Sleeper12 · 09-10-2020 10:22pm

Nah mate. Country rates shot up 2 weeks after the "wet" pubs opened. 70 cases can be traced to pubs in Cork alone

LAZYIRISH · 09-10-2020 10:23pm

Does it not worry anyone how money is wasted on this pandemic or on these pointless checkpoints. Can anyone explain to me What is the actual point of these checkpoints and why only in Dublin?

alentejo · 09-10-2020 10:23pm

I suspect any law to impose fines for breaches of the county rule will be open to legal challenge. Very difficult to legislate for.

a148pro · 09-10-2020 10:25pm

Well the first question should be is this a reasonable restriction that is actually going to reduce virus numbers, not can it be policed

And the reality is the existing boundary restrictions cannot be policed either in that anyone can given an excuse that would bring them within the exemptions. Its very hard to investigate that / disprove it.

I mean this was implicit in the Garda approach this week. It wasn't you are going to be caught breaching the guidelines. It was we are going to make it so inconvenient you won't want to.

I actually thought it was astonishing. A public servant saying that they were going to block the roads to make people's lives difficult. I really wish someone brought a court challenge or something. And the media didn't bat an eyelid, in fact, some cheerleaded it. And all the while actual front line workers are sitting in 8k tailbacks.

And no-one bats an eyelid

Mules · 09-10-2020 10:26pm

I live in one county and work in another. Does that mean I dont have to go to work?

Parabellum9 · 09-10-2020 10:28pm

completedit wrote: »

I think these restrictions are always to hopefully get the highest number of people on board. Like the way some people were happy to go abroad while others complied fully. In your scenario, nobody is going to do anything to the person circumventing the rules. They just want to create a stigma to doing it and hope people comply

They are not getting anybody onboard, and there is no stigma to if. A lot of people bought in to this stuff back in March and April to help “flatten the curve” - 6/7 months later the same people are apathetic. The “we’re all in this together” nonsense has been outed as bull**** with the golfgate scandal so why would they expect people to just roll over and accept the status quo again?

09-10-2020 10:38pm

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Am not the OP but would suggest myself that a better way would be to put an overall limit on the distance you can travel from home. Would hazard a guess that in even the most remote part of the country, something like a 40km limit would still allow you access to all essentials such as a supermarket, doctor, etc.

Doing it purely by county boundaries is far too inconsistent. Driving from the end of West Cork to somewhere like Youghal in East Cork is something like 175km.

Even in my own county of Wexford, a trip like Duncannon to Gorey is about 85km, and that's perfectly permissible too.

But next door to us in County Carlow, it's only about 25km to go the full length of the county from Kildavin at one end to Carlow town at the other.

So, you could start in Kildavin, drive just 30km, and be breaking the rules. Yet if you started from somewhere else in a larger county, you could drive up to six times that distance, and be doing nothing wrong. That makes no sense.

Your idea doesn’t make sense. If everyone had a 40km limit, the virus could Still travel quickly across the country.

The idea behind being restricted to your county is to stop the virus travelling across the country, from one county to the next, and so on . It’s not a perfect system but it’s better than nothing.

It’s the same with all the different rules, they are not perfect, but the idea is to limit transmission as much as possible without us all confined to our houses.

09-10-2020 10:38pm

Mules wrote: »

I live in one county and work in another. Does that mean I dont have to go to work?

If you have to physically be in your workplace you can go.

09-10-2020 10:47pm

LAZYIRISH wrote: »

Does it not worry anyone how money is wasted on this pandemic or on these pointless checkpoints. Can anyone explain to me What is the actual point of these checkpoints and why only in Dublin?

The point is that we simply can’t be trusted.
Why Dublin, highest concentration of people I would imagine and a lot of positive cases. Can’t police everywhere so may as well police the most liable county. Also Dublin airport/port

a148pro · 09-10-2020 10:48pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Your idea doesn’t make sense. If everyone had a 40km limit, the virus could Still travel quickly across the country.

The idea behind being restricted to your county is to stop the virus travelling across the country, from one county to the next, and so on . It’s not a perfect system but it’s better than nothing.

It’s the same with all the different rules, they are not perfect, but the idea is to limit transmission as much as possible without us all confined to our houses.

I'm sorry, but what are you talking about? The virus is already across the country. This isn't a situation where its only in Dublin or Galway or something. It isn't travelling "from one county to the next" its travelling from one person to the next, within counties. Its already out of the box.

I think I heard this week that Kerry has low numbers. Incidentally, that should really be telling us something because its probably the busiest staycation county in Ireland, and yet the numbers are low. But if the restrictions were protecting Kerry, or another county with low numbers then that's fine, I'd support them, as I'm sure would the people of Kerry. But they're not.

If you have two population groups with roughly equivalent levels of the virus in each then there is no argument for preventing someone travelling from one to the other. None.

09-10-2020 10:53pm

a148pro wrote: »

I'm sorry, but what are you talking about? The virus is already across the country. This isn't a situation where its only in Dublin or Galway or something. It isn't travelling "from one county to the next" its travelling from one person to the next, within counties. Its already out of the box.

I think I heard this week that Kerry has low numbers. Incidentally, that should really be telling us something because its probably the busiest staycation county in Ireland, and yet the numbers are low. But if the restrictions were protecting Kerry, or another county with low numbers then that's fine, I'd support them, as I'm sure would the people of Kerry. But they're not.

If you have two population groups with roughly equivalent levels of the virus in each then there is no argument for preventing someone travelling from one to the other. None.

Of course it’s already out of the box, that why we are trying to contain it. So easier for each county and their population to try and deal with containment locally, as opposed to a free for all with people from different counties travelling all around he country.

Huge amount of cases in Dublin. Should we still be allowed travel all around Ireland. Do you not see the danger, or does it not matter as there are already cases around the country. Of course it matters

09-10-2020 10:56pm

a148pro wrote: »

I'm sorry, but what are you talking about? The virus is already across the country. This isn't a situation where its only in Dublin or Galway or something. It isn't travelling "from one county to the next" its travelling from one person to the next, within counties. Its already out of the box.

I think I heard this week that Kerry has low numbers. Incidentally, that should really be telling us something because its probably the busiest staycation county in Ireland, and yet the numbers are low. But if the restrictions were protecting Kerry, or another county with low numbers then that's fine, I'd support them, as I'm sure would the people of Kerry. But they're not.

If you have two population groups with roughly equivalent levels of the virus in each then there is no argument for preventing someone travelling from one to the other. None.

Which is why they are now trying to restrict movement. It's not rocket science!
The biggest issue is the border with northern Ireland, they need to restrict that, quickly, lockdown the.crossings now!

Multipass · 09-10-2020 10:58pm

There is no rationale. Everything they are doing now - everything - is to distract from the incompetents running the hospitals.

09-10-2020 11:00pm

Multipass wrote: »

There is no rationale. Everything they are doing now - everything - is to distract from the incompetents running the hospitals.

You’re right , there is no rationale in your post

NewRed2 · 09-10-2020 11:10pm

a148pro wrote: »

I mean this was implicit in the Garda approach this week. It wasn't you are going to be caught breaching the guidelines. It was we are going to make it so inconvenient you won't want to.

I actually thought it was astonishing. A public servant saying that they were going to block the roads to make people's lives difficult.

Disgrace what happened this week. Theres not much that surprises me anymore in this country but the Gardaí this week deliberately preventing people getting to work on time was something truly special.
How on earth was this allowed to happen?
Who decided this was ok?

There were tailbacks Monday morning that lasted hours and hours. Trucks, vans, etc all just trying to go to work.

The damage they did cost companies tens of thousands.

Why was this allowed to happen? And what was the upside of it? Who did it help?

An utter disgrace.

09-10-2020 11:14pm

The government decided that was to happen.
It was disgraceful, putting gardai out on the roads, disrupting decent.people.going to and from work.
Terrible.
I would advise complaints to your local, TDs, Superintendents and Chief Superintendents.
No point complaining to the guard on the road, he has no say and no-one listens to his complaints.

amadangomor · 09-10-2020 11:24pm

I agree totally with sensible restrictions but where I live restricting crossing county boundaries does not make sense at all.

The other side of my town where all the shops are located are in another county.

Where I go for exercise in nature which is essential for having good mental health is about 7km away. I have to cross a dogleg of one county and then cross barely into another county. I have no problem doing this as I'm not increasing the risk of spread of Covid 19 by doing this.

It is my hinterland and makes sense to do things in my locality even though I am crossing county boundaries. Strange that I am breaching regulations twice going 7km when I could go 70km to the other side of the county and not be breaching them at all.

NewRed2 · 09-10-2020 11:29pm

bubblypop wrote: »

The government decided that was to happen.
It was disgraceful, putting gardai out on the roads, disrupting decent.people.going to and from work.
Terrible.
I would advise complaints to your local, TDs, Superintendents and Chief Superintendents.
No point complaining to the guard on the road, he has no say and no-one listens to his complaints.

So the government who keep saying they want to help businesses stay afloat and cannot go to level-5 because of businesses told the guards to cripple the same businesses by preventing everyone going to work?
The same government who said they had to reduce subsidies and PUP thought it would be a good idea to make the Gardaí strangle the N7 into and out of Dublin during rush hour?
The government who said all along that schools were top priority and now about to ask schools to stay shut for an extra week over mid term?
Wow, we're in safe hands here aren't we?

The damage caused by the guard checkpoints over the last few days alone must be in the millions.
Genius stuff. And all for what? What did it achieve? Aside from hurting the very businesses they pretend to protect.

One haulage form alone said they lost 100k for late deliveries. Why? Guards waving sticks. We're borderline old soviet state now.

09-10-2020 11:35pm

NewRed2 wrote: »

So the government who keep saying they want to help businesses stay afloat and cannot go to level-5 because of businesses told the guards to cripple the same businesses by preventing everyone going to work?
The same government who said they had to reduce subsidies and PUP thought it would be a good idea to make the Gardaí strangle the N7 into and out of Dublin during rush hour?
The government who said all along that schools were top priority and now about to ask schools to stay shut for an extra week over mid term?
Wow, we're in safe hands here aren't we?

The damage caused by the guard checkpoints over the last few days alone must be in the millions.
Genius stuff. And all for what? What did it achieve? Aside from hurting the very businesses they pretend to protect.

One haulage form alone said they lost 100k for late deliveries. Why? Guards waving sticks. We're borderline old soviet state now.

Yep.
I agree

amadangomor · 09-10-2020 11:39pm

Mules wrote: »

I live in one county and work in another. Does that mean I dont have to go to work?

March 2020 called and wants it's question back :pac:

Irish Aris · 09-10-2020 11:42pm

amadangomor wrote: »

I agree totally with sensible restrictions but where I live restricting crossing county boundaries does not make sense at all.

The other side of my town where all the shops are located are in another county.

Where I go for exercise in nature which is essential for having good mental health is about 7km away. I have to cross a dogleg of one county and then cross barely into another county. I have no problem doing this as I'm not increasing the risk of spread of Covid 19 by doing this.

It is my hinterland and makes sense to do things in my locality even though I am crossing county boundaries. Strange that I am breaching regulations twice going 7km when I could go 70km to the other side of the county and not be breaching them at all.

It is the same for me, 50 meters from the county border, I can actually see the fence that works as the border between the counties. Most of the shops are on the other side. There have never been any guards in the border.
I think I will exercise common sense. In any case I think essential shopping and medical appointments are exempt from the restrictions.

amadangomor · 09-10-2020 11:50pm

Irish Aris wrote: »

It is the same for me, 50 meters from the county border, I can actually see the fence that works as the border between the counties. Most of the shops are on the other side. There have never been any guards in the border.
I think I will exercise common sense. In any case I think essential shopping and medical appointments are exempt from the restrictions.

My workplace is 40km away but in the same county where I go for outdoor exercise 7km away.

So my attitude is that I'm expected to go to work in that county to be surrounded by 5000 other people in my workplace ( with a few outbreaks).

So feck it I should be allowed in that county in my down time to be in the open for an hour or two.

440Hertz · 10-10-2020 2:21am

There’s only so much granularity we can have in Ireland or anywhere. Counties are the only subdivision we have and the boundaries are locally known and on many roads they’ve also signposted.

It’s not ideal, for example Cork should probably have a restriction preventing flow in and out of the city as the county is half the size of Northern Ireland, while the opposite is the case in say Louth which is tiny. It probably makes little sense in Leitrim due to the strange elongated shape of the place and there are two cities : Limerick and Waterford located on county lines, as well as towns like Athlone.

So it’s not perfect but it’s the best we can do and I assume it will be enforced with some degree of cop on.

auspicious · 10-10-2020 2:28am

It's like scrabbling around in the dark for a lost contact lens.
Boundaries were drawn up 500 years ago. We have to adhere to the old ways. Don't we?

What is the actual rationale for keeping people inside their counties?

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