Dublin is bracing for security threats and large-scale disruption for commuters and businesses with world leaders due to meet next week for the biggest event of Ireland’s EU presidency.
An Garda Síochána has had to hire coaches, at a cost of at least €2 million, to bring gardaí to the capital for what the Taoiseach described as the biggest policing operation in the history of the State.
Micheál Martin said the Garda and Defence Forces had been planning for the meeting for months. He defended the decision to host both events in Dublin, where significant disruption is expected.
Speaking on Friday after bomb threats to media outlets in Ireland and continued targeting of airlines in Europe, he insisted every possible contingency was in place.
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“We have been very clear for many months that this is the biggest security and policing operation [ever organised in the State], greater than the visit of the US president,” Martin said.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said the threats to Irish media organisations – including RTÉ, Bauer Media, Virgin Media and Mediahuis – were being taken “extremely seriously” and were under investigation.
A number of senior gardaí told The Irish Times the series of bomb threats on Friday, and the similar targeting of airlines across Europe in recent days, had come “at exactly the wrong time”, as one put it, for Ireland.
Several Garda sources believe the decision by RTÉ in particular to abandon live programming for a time yesterday had created a degree of panic.
While they accepted a bomb threat had to be taken seriously, and that RTÉ was right to put staff safety first, they pointed out that other national broadcasters in Europe had not abandoned live programming.
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While the threat of an attack nationally is still classified as “moderate” in advance of next week’s events, the threat of an attack or security incident at the meetings is regarded as “substantial”.
The European Political Community meeting of heads of state and government from across Europe will take place on Thursday in the Convention Centre, Dublin. A meeting of heads of state or government of the EU will take place on Friday, also in the Convention Centre.
While the involvement of Russia, or a Russian-aligned entity, in the Irish bomb threats had not been ruled out, sources described the email received by the Irish media outlets as “crude” and “generic”.
They said the same email was sent to at least 50-60 media outlets across Europe, claiming bombs had been placed at all of their offices, with no specific threat to Irish media organisations.
Senior Garda management expressed their annoyance at the fact the Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represents more than 11,000 rank and file gardaí, is pressing ahead with its work-to-rule next week.
The GRA is specifically targeting the meetings in Dublin, despite the heightened threat level across Europe since midweek.
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Two days of talks, which concluded on Thursday night, between Garda management and the GRA failed to break the deadlock in a dispute over allowances and conditions. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly was at two of the meetings with the GRA this week.
This has forced Garda management to quickly arrange contracts with coach hire companies, at a cost of at least €2 million. They will bring Garda members from across the country to work in Dublin and Shannon on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week.
Gardaí being drafted in to work in those locations are refusing to make their own way, as part of the work-to-rule.
On Friday night, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (Agsi) announced it would police the European Political Community and EU leaders’ meetings in Dublin next week, though it remained critical of garda management.
“Having considered Agsi’s responsibilities to its members, the public, the State and the disturbing incidents involving national media and airlines over the past few days, the National Executive has decided that Agsi will conduct their duties as per the managerial plans for next week,” it said.
While the high-level meetings are taking place in Dublin, a large security operation will also be in place around Shannon Airport as it will act as a backup transport hub.
An estimated 50 heads of state, and their officials, are expected to come to Ireland for the meetings.
