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GARDAÍ HAVE MADE a formal request for military assistance to provide anti-drone equipment for multiple locations during the upcoming EU Presidency but the Defence Forces have told them they will only deploy the equipment to protect Baldonnel airfield.
Sources have told The Journal that the move has left garda planners frustrated, and they now, almost certainly, will have to ask foreign agencies to assist in provision of anti-drone capability.
Ireland takes over the rotating presidency of the EU from July of this year. Multiple high-level visits of foreign dignitaries are planned, including at the European Political Community summit, which will see leaders of all EU member states attend.
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended last year’s EPC summit when it was held in Denmark.
There’s renewed focus on security around the summit and other events taking place as part of the presidency in the wake of the drone incursion that took place during Zelenskyy’s official visit to Dublin in December.
Preparations for the massive security operation surrounding the presidency are being headed up by An Garda Síochána, the lead agency tasked with planning.
It is understood that the request for assistance has been made using a special form, known as a C70, which permits gardaí to ask the Defence Forces for assistance.
Known as Aid to the Civil Power, the form enables gardaí to ask for military help. The request has not been rejected fully but the military has told gardaí that it cannot be fulfilled.
It is understood that there has been some frustrations expressed internally by senior gardaí about the Defence Forces’ ability to secure the various locations likely to stage presidency events.
Sources with a knowledge of the security preparations have said the request shows a shift in the Garda planning for major events and said it was a direct learning from the drone incursion during the Zelenskyy visit.
The Journal has learned that in preparations for that visit gardaí formally requested only for a military engineering team to be deployed to search the grounds of Áras an Uachtárain and the Phoenix Park for possible bombs. Zelenskyy and Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska made a visit to the Áras for a courtesy call to President Connolly as part of the trip.
Any other military deployed during the visit, including the Air Corps and Naval Service, were there only because they were ordered by their senior officers as a precaution – the deployments were not requested by An Garda Síochána.
As revealed at the time by this website, naval vessel the LÉ William Butler Yeats reported that a number of drones orbited above it as it patrolled below Zelenskyy’s flight path into Dublin Airport.
President of the European Council António Costa described the incident as “another example of the hybrid attacks from Russia” in European territory. Although multiple accusations have been leveled that Russia was behind the drones, sources have said that as yet investigators in the Special Detective Unit are keeping an open mind that some other State actor was involved.
In a pre-planned move, An Garda Síochána deployed Portuguese, PSNI and French police officers in Dublin city centre to manage anti-drone equipment as Zelenskyy attended meetings at Government Buildings and addressed the Dáil.
In response to the December drone incident the Minister for Defence Helen McEntee announced that the Government would fast-track counter-drone equipment for the Defence Forces.
This would enable Ireland to track and detect incoming drone threats and also to take down the unmanned craft if needs be.
This would be ahead of the purchase of defence primary radar. The State has said it has entered into negotiations with a French company, believed to be Thales, to purchase that capability which will cost somewhere between €300m and €500m. It would be facilitated through a Government to Government deal.
The Journal has learned that the rapid purchase of counter-drone equipment would only protect Baldonnel Airfield, the Irish Air Corps base in West County Dublin. There will be no capability to protect any other locations during the presidency which begins in July, the Defence Forces have told gardaí.
Baldonnel is the main base for the Irish Air Corps’ aircraft and also the Garda Air Support Unit, as well as a base for training.
The Irish Defence Forces does not have a standalone air defence regiment since it was disbanded in 2012.
Sources have said it is anticipated that gardaí will be left with no other option but to invite foreign military or police forces to secure other locations again.
The Irish Defence Forces referred our questions to An Garda Síochána. A Garda spokesperson said that the organisation does not comment on specific details of national international security.
“Since January 2024, An Garda Síochána has been preparing for the policing and security requirements of Ireland hosting the EU Presidency.
“This has included meetings with senior officials in relevant agencies including the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces.
“In addition, Gardaí have visited countries that recently held the presidency to learn from their experiences. Those preparations continue,” the spokeswoman said.
The Garda statement said that Ireland is “procuring various vehicles and items of equipment” to ensure the delivery of an appropriate security operation.
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