Garda chiefs to hold urgent Brexit meeting with frontline supervisors

Garda management has agreed to hold an urgent meeting with frontline supervisors over mounting concerns about Brexit.

The meeting between officials from the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) and senior commissioners is expected to take place next week.

The meeting comes on the back of car bombing and linked hijackings in Derry, which have been blamed on republican dissidents.

Gardaí at various ranks along the border are expressing heightened anxiety at the prospect of increased dissident threat and of policing a hard border arising from a potential no-deal Brexit on March 29.

Gardaí have highlighted the need for significant extra resources throughout the Garda Northern Region — which stretches from Donegal to Louth — in the event of a hard border and are wondering how Garda HQ is going to meet that need.

There is some speculation that the next batch of probationers due out from Templemore College could be dispatched “en masse” to the border, though there is no official line on this yet.

The 200 probationers are due to graduate in March.

Compared to the cost of transferring existing members — with additional subsistence and travel allowances — Garda bosses could take the option of sending probationers to help police the border.

Next week’s meeting was organised before a local AGSI branch meeting in Ballybofey, Donegal, on Monday night, where Brexit issues dominated.

“Concerns were raised regarding policing matters and definitely Brexit issues,” said one source who attended the meeting.

Brexit and its implications were discussed: How was it going to affect communities, how was it going to affect guards, the movement of personnel, what job and duties they will have.

Concerns were also expressed in relation to the car bombing in Derry by the New IRA and potential ramifications for Donegal and policing if such attacks continue, in terms of movement of terrorists, vehicles, or even bomb components across the border.

It is thought that all these issues, and more, will be raised with Garda bosses at the meeting to be held next week.

In a statement, AGSI said it has “sought an urgent meeting with Garda management about Brexit issues and have been assured there will be a meeting in the very near future”.