Harris says Ireland has capability to protect European leaders at Dublin summits

Gardaí and the Defence Forces are preparing for two major gatherings, as the Government also hopes to avoid industrial action during the events

Simon Harris said the higher the profile of an international event, the greater the security priority attached to it. File picture: PA

Ireland has the capabilities to protect European leaders gathering in Dublin for two major summits next month, the Tánaiste has insisted.

Simon Harris said the Government was taking the security of the events “extraordinarily seriously”.

Speaking about the potential for drone incursions as Dublin hosts a meeting of the European Political Community on November 12, followed by an informal meeting of EU heads of state the next day, Mr Harris acknowledged that such incursions “can and do happen”.

However, he stressed that Ireland was not being “complacent” about the potential security risks surrounding the meetings.

Ireland is hosting the summits as part of its ongoing presidency of the Council of the EU.

Mr Harris also expressed hope that gardaí would not engage in work-to-rule industrial action during the summits.

Representatives of rank-and-file gardaí are considering such action amid a dispute over working conditions during Ireland’s six-month EU Council presidency.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One, Mr Harris said the higher the profile of an international event, the greater the security priority attached to it. 

He thanked members of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces for their work during the Irish presidency.

“We’ve had a number of big events already, all of which I’m pleased to say have gone well, but there’s no room for complacency,” he said.

“There are two big events due to be held in this country in November – one being the informal meeting of the European Council and the other being what they call the European Political Community. In other words, we’ll see lots of heads of state and heads of government in Dublin for that.

“Next week, we will have a meeting of our National Ministerial Security Council, where we’ll of course be updated on preparations and plans around that. We don’t discuss the content of that, other than to say and to reassure the public that this is something that’s taken extraordinarily seriously.”

‘We are not in any way complacent’

Mr Harris said Ireland had the capabilities to protect the leaders attending the events, but cautioned against discussing national security preparations in detail.

He said Ireland was investing more in defence than ever before and increasing its capabilities in areas such as radar and sonar. He added that the country had so far hosted a successful EU presidency from both a delivery and security perspective.

“While we don’t comment and shouldn’t comment, for fear of bad actors, on national security issues, I am confident that this country is prepared,” he said.

Mr Harris noted that drone incursions had occurred in many countries, including those that had made “massive investment” in their military and defence.

“So drone incursions can and do happen,” he said.

“What I am saying is that we are not in any way complacent about security in relation to these events or our national security more generally, and that we are robustly preparing for those events that will be held in November.

“I have every confidence in both the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces (Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy) and the Garda Commissioner (Justin Kelly).”