GRA conference: Gardaí fear they are not equipped to handle terrorist attack

Frontline gardaí fear they are not equipped to deal with a terrorist attack and that the country’s busiest airport may be vulnerable unless armed security is beefed up.

Garda sources said they are concerned about the lack of firepower at Dublin Airport should it be attacked and are also worried, in general, about the lack of training for frontline gardaí in the event of terrorists striking in other parts of the country.

These fears are being discussed by delegates attending the GRA conference, along with concerns that, compared to other police forces in Europe, gardaí are poorly equipped on a number of fronts to meet the challenge of modern-day policing.