POLICE FROM PORTUGAL, France and Northern Ireland were deployed into Dublin to assist gardaí during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, The Journal has learned.

It is understood the officers from the Portuguese police, the French paramilitary force the Gendarmerie, and the PSNI were working with members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) during the visit – particularly during engagements around the capital on Tuesday last. 

Sources have said their role was to operate a drone shield around locations such as Leinster House and Government Buildings due to security concerns around the visit of the wartime leader. 

It’s understood specialists operated the system from the roofs of the buildings. 

It is believed that the systems used by the visiting police officers are not owned by An Garda Síochána.

The job of the PSNI and the other European forces was to use high-tech drone blocking devices.

The devices used in Dublin would essentially take control of any suspicious drone and enable gardaí to move in and detain the operator. 

Sources have said that gardaí, particularly the ERU, have a small number of handheld counter-drone devices but that the visiting police forces brought with them much more advanced equipment with a greater range. 

It is also understood that the ERU, which is the Garda’s senior specialist tactical unit, has been training abroad with police forces to operate counter drone technology. 

News of the deployment of the visiting police forces in Dublin follows previous reporting by The Journal that there are some plans being explored to deploy foreign forces to assist Ireland during next year’s hosting of the EU Presidency.

Concerns are mounting across Europe in regard to the Irish State’s ability to protect a large contingent of visiting dignitaries during the six-month presidency. 

Last week, The Journal revealed that four unidentified military-style drones breached a no-fly zone and flew towards the flight path of Zelenskyy’s plane at sea near Dublin Airport after he arrived in Ireland on Monday night. 

Speaking in Dublin today, President of the European Council António Costa described last week’s incident as “another example of the hybrid attacks from Russia” in European territory. 

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, speaking at a meeting in Brussels this week, said gardaí would be spending more on counter-drone technology ahead of the country’s presidency of the EU in the second half of next year.

He told reporters: “The gardaí have very good anti-drone technology and we’re going to be spending more in terms of defence, in terms of seeking to combat drone technology.”

In response to a query about the presence of French, Portuguese and Northern Irish officers in Dublin a Garda spokeswoman said:

“An Garda Siochana does not comment on the detail of national security operations. An Garda Siochana regularly works with international security partners to keep people here and abroad safe.”

The Department of Justice has also been asked for comment.

In the past members of investigation teams from Spain, Britain and the US have accompanied gardaí on raids during organised crime investigations within the state. During such deployments they are unable to make arrests themselves. 

Permissions are also given to the US Secret Service to carry firearms when escorting US presidents and other high-profile politicians within in Ireland.