A new project has been launched today in Donegal town This project that was organised by four local Chef's whose businesses have gone into lock down will deliver hot meals to the elderly and vulnerable within the community on a daily basis

Garda Síochána Donegal issued a statement

“The ChefAid project in Donegal Town was officially launched today at 11am and deliveries of meals will commence this evening. This project that was organised by four local Chef's whose businesses have gone into lock down will deliver hot meals to the elderly and vulnerable within the community on a daily basis. The project will operate from Manhattan restaurant in Donegal Town. An Garda Síochána have committed their support to this worthy initiative and uniformed Gardaí will be on hand everyday to deliver hot meals. One of the new Garda Community support vehicles has been secured and it will be used every afternoon for meal drop offs.”

“This project has received massive support from surrounding hotels, cafes, shops and other businesses. Gardaí in Donegal Town are delighted to assist with this community project which will provide vital support for the most vulnerable in our community. The project has been rolled out under the guidance of the HSE and Environmental Health Service and in accordance with the HACCP regulations. Social distancing protocols will be adhered to.”

You can find ChefAid Donegal on Facebook.
Their phone will be answered daily between 10am and 1pm (086) 3822605 to arrange delivery of a meal for the following day.

Almost 450 gardaí have mobilised for front line policing in a day to bolster the strength of An Garda Síochána in the biggest deployment of its kind in the history of the force.

The action, which involves closing the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, saw all 319 recruit gardaí at the college passing out on Friday morning at the college after effectively skipping the remainder of their training for now.

Friday morning’s passing out ceremony, which complied with social distancing protocol, was done behind closed doors, for speed and with no ceremony due to the coronavirus, but has been recorded and photographed for posterity.

Furthermore, because those newly sworn-in gardaí have now been assigned to stations nationwide and the college is closed, 124 Garda members who normally teach at the college or fill other posts there have also been deployed to the frontline.

Of the newly attested gardaí, 65 have been assigned to the Garda’s Dublin Region, 94 to the Eastern Region, 80 to the Southern Region and 80 to the North Western Region.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has also deferred all age-related retirements and the retirements of senior officers who had been due to depart under a severance package and annual leave has been restricted.

The measures will result in an increase of 25 per cent of gardaí on the streets for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis, with personnel working 12-hour shifts.