Concern as 3,000 gardaí in Dublin for May 1

GARDA stations around the country could be left with skeleton crews incapable of dealing with major emergencies, as up to 3,000 members of the force are drafted into Dublin for the May Day march.

The concerns were raised as Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he hoped the historic celebrations would not be spoiled by “misguided hooligans”.

A senior official in the Garda Representative Association (GRA), said the drain on resources could cause problems in other cities and towns over the Bank Holiday weekend.