Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 July 2004
103 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the estimated cost of providing Garda policing for the visit of President George Bush to the Shannon area in June 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19829/04]
View answer104 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the breakdown of the cost of providing 4,000 gardaí for duty in the Shannon area in the days surrounding the visit of President Bush, including consequential and ancillary costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19830/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 104 together.
I have been informed by the Garda authorities responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that approximately 3,800 gardaí were deployed for the EU/US summit. Complete costs of the security operation for the EU/US summit are not available at present. However, the estimated additional cost of providing gardaí for duty in the Shannon area, based on the initial operating police plan, is €4.9 million. This figure is broken down as follows: €3.1 million for overtime and €1.8 million for travel, subsistence and accommodation. When all expenditure returns have been received and collated, a full costing of the operation will be made.
105 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the need for a high Garda presence in the Shannon area in the days surrounding 25 June 2004 would have been greatly reduced if President Bush had chosen to travel from Shannon Airport to his destination by air rather than by road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19832/04]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the Garda numbers and presence required in both the Shannon and Dromoland areas would not have been reduced had President Bush travelled from Shannon Airport to Dromoland Castle by air.
When planning for major security operations, such as the EU/US summit, the Garda Síochána must plan for the securing of both primary and secondary travel routes. The securing of these routes would have had to be carried out even if the President travelled by air. Adverse weather conditions have a bearing on helicopter travel so in the prior planning of the transportation of the President it could not be determined whether the prevailing weather conditions would be conducive to air travel. Accordingly, the same number of gardaí would still have had to be deployed in planning for operations of this nature.
106 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the additional levels of policing required by the May Day protests 2004, the EU Presidency and the visit of George Bush have not impacted on the ability of the Garda to attend to ordinary policing duties throughout the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19833/04]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda authorities that while particular high profile events during the Irish Presidency of the EU placed considerable demands on Garda resources, Garda management endeavoured to ensure that all resources at the disposal of the Garda Síochána were utilised to optimum effect in delivering the highest possible level of policing service to the community at all times.
An additional €12.473 million was made available in the Garda Vote to take account of the increased workload associated with our hosting of the EU Presidency this year to ensure, as far as possible, that normal policing resources would not be diverted during the six month Presidency period.
