AN GARDA SIOCHANA is to deploy armed officers, as well as its anti-riot, mounted and dog units, in an effort to increase visibility in Dublin city centre following several high-profile instances of crime including attacks on tourists.

The force has announced that an injection of €10 million from the government will be used for overtime, to deliver 16,500 additional policing hours per month in the city centre.

Alongside uniformed gardaí, specialist units including the Air Support Unit, the Garda Mounted Unit, the Garda Dog Unit, Regional Armed Response Units and Road Policing Units will be deployed.

The initiative, dubbed Operation Citizen, will focus on “tackling street-level drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and seizure of alcohol in Dublin city centre.

There will also be an enhanced visible Garda presence at specific locations such as the Liffey boardwalk.

The deployment of armed officers has prompted some criticism from politicians.

What works in tackling anti social behaviour since time immemorial is community based policing/diversion programs and tackling the root causes of deprivation and drug use. What we're being offered?.... 'armed officers, riot police and dog units'. https://t.co/bJ1sR9CcXJ

— Neasa Hourigan TD (@neasa_neasa) August 22, 2023

Because adding guns to a scenario always works out. https://t.co/yga52veRQp

— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (@AodhanORiordain) August 22, 2023

Justice Minister Helen McEntee welcomed the announcement.

Good to see from @gardainfo across Dublin, including more arrests as well as high visibility patrols leading to significant drug seizures. The extra €10m provided by Government supports increased high visibility policing, in addition to our new Gardaí on the beat in the capital. https://t.co/iwJjql8e9e

— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) August 15, 2023

McEntee, along with the gardaí, has come under pressure to respond to the issue of violent crime in Dublin city centre.

She said the additional funding will help gardaí “build stronger, safer communities” and “ensure that the city is a safe place for all to live, work and visit”.

“While policing alone cannot solve many of the factors which contribute to criminality or people feeling unsafe, high visibility policing is crucial to providing reassurance for all who live in, work in or visit our capital city.”

A Community Safety Plan for the north inner city will also be launched in the coming weeks.

“Nobody knows better than local communities how to increase safety in their areas – and that is why the community is centrally involved in drawing up these plans,” McEntee said.

There will be also be “planned days of high-impact visibility” which will involve checkpoints, execution of warrants, service of summonses, intelligence-led searches and arrests, immigration checks and enforcement of road-traffic offences.

Angela Willis, the assistant commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region, said: “The overall objective of our activity is to reassure the citizens, visitors and the business community that Dublin is a safe place in which to live, visit, and work. An enhanced visible policing presence is central to this objective.”