Some beauty therapists flout Covid-19 laws amid conflicting advice on 'whistleblowing'
People are still booking beauty therapists to call to their homes for manicures, hair cuts and fake tans despite the nationwide lockdown.
It comes amid conflicting advice about whether people should report to the gardai those flouting the new public health laws preventing unnecessary travel.
On Wednesday, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said people should contact gardai if they are aware of people flouting the laws introduced on Tuesday.
But yesterday, Health Minister Simon Harris said new laws are "not about snitching on your neighbour" as he appealed to people to stay at home this weekend.
When asked what advice he would give to someone who has a neighbour flouting the law, he said: "The first thing you should do is drop the neighbour a text and say 'come on now - you're putting us all at risk here'."
With growing signs that people are no longer adhering to the physical distancing guidelines, there were several examples of hairdressers, nail technicians and beauty therapists advertising their availability for home-calls.
Callers to the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork's RedFM, including many working in the beauty industry, criticised those in the business who are flouting the new laws introduced on Tuesday to prevent unnecessary travel. They said the names of those involved should be handed over the gardaí.
The new laws are due to expire at midnight on Easter Sunday, but there are concerns people are more likely to make unnecessary trips with sunny weather forecast for the weekend.
'Not a police state'
Mr Harris pleaded with people to show common sense and display solidarity and he said the laws will be used sparingly.
"It is important that the guards have it as a last resort but they do have powers to ask you to return home," he said.
"We have got to remember why they're doing this; they're doing it because they're trying to keep you safe.
"We have lost 235 Irish people to coronavirus, we have seen more than 200 people through our ICU so far, and sadly actually the majority of people in the ICUs aren't just older people that are being referred to.
"So this Easter weekend we are asking you to stay at home. The alternative is so much worse."
He said the country has not become a police state and said people are trying to cope in difficult and stressful circumstances having been cooped up at home for a number of weeks.
Meanwhile, Transparency International (TI) Ireland has published guidance to help whistleblowers report wrongdoing,
ethical misconduct or health and safety risks in the workplace during the Covid-19 pandemic.
TI chief executive, John Devitt, said they have already seen reports from the UK and US of health workers being ‘gagged’ by management and threatened with dismissal if they speak up
about concerns about their employer’s response to the current crisis.
"We have also heard of cases involving theft of PPE and fraud against hospitals which are putting people’s lives at even greater
risk. We can’t afford to ignore workers who might draw attention to such wrongdoing during this crisis – too much is at stake," he said.
