Brazen holidaymakers are using unmanned border checkpoints to flood into Donegal for the Easter holidays during the Covid-19 crisis.
While Gardai are manning many of the major road networks into Donegal, visitors from the North are using the remote access points to cross despite warnings not to travel.
There are approximately 60 border crossings into Donegal and many are not manned.
In the past two days since the start of Operation Fanacht, Donegal Gardai have turned back hundreds of motorists.
Visible checkpoints are being manned at many of the main crossings including Bridgend, Muff, Lifford and Pettigo
However, many have still been able to access the county through a maze of backroads.
Motorists could be openly seen crossing from Derry into Donegal this afternoon at various crossings including Leatbeg near Muff and at Coshquin on the Derry side of the border near Bridgend.
A Garda source said they simply did not have the manpower to cover every crossing into the county.
“We are turning back as many as we can who do not have a valid reason for traveling at this time.
“However, we simply can’t cover the entire border. There are simply too many crossings,” he said.
Gardai are also carrying out random checkpoints across Donegal in a bid to clamp down on visitors traveling for the Easter break.
The arrival of so many visitors from both the North and other parts of Ireland into Donegal has led to increased tensions locally.