Public address and CCTV for papal visit costed at €1.2m

The Government is planning to spend €1.2 million on temporary public address systems, CCTV cameras and radio communications for the visit of Pope Francis to Dublin in August.

The Office of Government Procurement is seeking tenders for “a managed solution” for the papal visit, which will include CCTV systems, a secure communications network and event-control services.

The estimated value of the contract for these services is €1.2 million excluding VAT, according to tender documents.

Tenders must be submitted by May 3rd, while the pope’s visit is scheduled for August 25th and 26th.

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The pontiff is travelling to Ireland for the Catholic Church’s World Meeting of Families. He will attend the Festival of Families at Croke Park on August 25th, and will celebrate Mass in Phoenix Park the following day.

While the final itinerary has yet to be announced, the Government’s advertisement for tender may contain a clue about an additional engagement: it lists Dublin Castle as a location where the event services will be required.

“The commissioners for public works in Ireland is seeking to procure the provision of a managed solution for papal visit 2018 at locations including Dublin Castle and Phoenix Park,” it states.

The “managed solution” will include “temporary CCTV cameras, temporary secure network, radio communications, temporary public-address systems, temporary event-control elements and temporary power distribution”.