Gardaí given €1.5m to police events

An Garda Síochána received almost €1.5m from promoters and organisers to police some of the largest events held in the country last year — but received no external payment towards the cost of providing security for the Pope’s visit.

Ed Sheeran’s three Irish dates accounted for more than a quarter of the cost of the 10 most expensive “non-public duty” events policed by gardaí, according to figures released to this newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act.