THE PSNI is to be given new lockdown powers to enforce the 'stay at home' message after an order was placed into legislation.
Stormont ministers met last night to discuss a paper put forward by Justice Minister Naomi Long to strengthen police powers to enforce Covid measures.
It was agree that the order for people to stay at home, unless shopping for medical or food needs, exercise and work that cannot be done from home, should be passed into legislation.
Previously this was considered guidance and not legally enforceable.
Over new year the PSNI handed out more than £25,000 wotht of fines to revellers breaching regulations.
The Justice Department document also contained legal advice as to how the 'stay at home' guidance from the Executive will work and be enforced by police under the new toughened laws.
They also agree to reintroduce enforcement powers for the PSNI to order people to go home if they are engaging in prohibited activity.
Ministers have agreed that the new restrictions will start on Friday and last until February 6, and be reviewed along with other lockdown measures on January 21.
The new restrictions are believed to have been approved with correct legal guidance given to the PSNI following criticism that previous legislation has been misinterpreted, after private hire taxi firms were order to close despite being previously listed as an essential service.
The Executive did not agree a travel ban on people travelling outside ten miles of their home address, which was proposed in the paper presented by the Justice Minister.
The Republic has placed restrictions on the movement of people outside of their county unless on essential business.
A limit of travel up to 5km from home is in place and no inter-county travel is permitted.
The Irish government also placed a ban on travel into the Republic from Britain and South Africa in response to the identification of new strains of Covid-19.
There has been pressure of Stormont ministers to impose a similar restriction given the increase in cases of Covid across the north which has almost doubled in the last week to 12,000.
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