Gardaí are mounting a group of steel operations – to protect Leinster House on Budget Day – it has emerged, reports The Mirror.
“There will be a significant policing operation on the day,” a source said last night, reports The Mirror.
The Mirror has established that 200 Garda officers will take part in the massive operation on October 10.
Sources say plans for a police operation are already underway and Garda chiefs are confident there will be no repeat of Wednesday’s shocking scene outside Leinster House.
Several politicians, including Kerry TD Michael Healy, were targeted by 200 protesters who gathered outside the gates of Leinster House on the first day of the Dáil term.
Politicians, staff and journalists were barricaded in Leinster House for several hours and could only leave through a corridor cleared by police.
About 13 people were detained and two people have already appeared in court.
Politicians of all parties condemned the scenes, and police officers called for a stronger response if similar protests take place there again.
Sources have told us gardaí are preparing a major operation to protect the building that houses the Dáil and Seanad when Finance Minister Michael McGrath publishes details of the 2024 budget next month – protesters got involved on Wednesday, suspecting officials would want another day of trouble, reports The Mirror.
We have established that over 150 uniformed Gardaí will be on duty in and around Leinster House during the expected protest.
The Garda Air Support Unit will also be deployed to monitor the events from the air, with dogs and mounted units also attending the scene.
Sources also say that the public order unit – the military riot squad – will play the main role in the operation.
On the front line, officers will be dressed in regular uniforms, but combat troops will be called in in case of problems, reports The Mirror.
The sources also revealed that officers from a special anti-terrorism intelligence unit that monitors right-wing activists will also be on duty in the area.
Gardaí will be monitoring online discussion groups in the run-up to the Budget for any signs that agitators are planning to cause trouble.
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