Residents in holiday destinations around the country are voicing fears over the number of people arriving in during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Gardaí have today been handed new powers to enforce the regulations as officers prepare for a major operation aimed at preventing people from travelling over Easter.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Dingle woman Aoife Granville said a lot of the people arriving in are not regular visitors.

“I am seeing a lot of strangers around the town, certainly in the past few weeks, that we wouldn’t be accustomed to seeing,” she said.

“There has certainly been movement within the last week as well, we have been seeing people moving in.

“It is a challenging time for everyone, we understand that – but we have to mind our own patch, our own communities and it is a bit worrying.”

A pub on the main street in Dingle, 29-07-2015. Image: RollingNews

She said the elderly and vulnerable are especially concerned about the new arrivals.

“The town has shut down and people have been very compliant,” she said.

“There are a lot of businesses, bars and restaurants here that we hope will open again but we aren’t sure - and they are all complying so it is hard to see people coming in.”

Malin Head in County Donegal, 01-06-2020. Image: Patrick Swan/Zuma Press/PA Images

Meanwhile, Donegal Councillor Martin McDermott said there has been a “substantial number” of people out and about near his Malin Head home.

“We would have a lot of visitors on a regular basis,” he said.

“Especially over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, there would be a lot of people moving from lots of parts of the country including Northern Ireland.

“It is a vital important part of our economy in Donegal but, at this particular moment in time, there are a lot of people who are very fearful of the volume of people moving from Northern Ireland to Donegal and from the rest of the country up to Donegal.”

He said the elderly and vulnerable in seaside towns are “very, very nervous” ahead of the holday weekend.

“Even last Sunday, there was a quite a substantial amount of people about,” he said.

“So, we will be looking for people to stick to the regulations for the next couple of weeks and hopefully we can get things back to normal as soon as we can.”

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan at a Covid-19 briefing in Government Buildings, 24-03-2020. Image: Steve Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Images

The death toll in the Republic has risen to 210, after 36 further COVID-19 patients were confirmed dead yesterday.

The number of confirmed cases has risen by 345 to 5,709.

The Health Minister and Chief Medical Officers have both urged people not to drop their guard and to follow the guidelines over Easter.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said officers will use their new powers “sparingly and only if needed.”

You can listen back to both interviews on Newstalk Breakfast here: