GARDAÍ HAVE BEEN told that they must source their own accommodation for the visit of Donald Trump to Clare despite hotel prices costing running well in excess of €1,000  for accommodation within driving distance of the US President’s Doonbeg golf resort. 

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has declared the expected visit of the US President an “extraordinary event” due to the scale of the policing operation.

It is anticipated, although not officially confirmed as yet, that the visit will begin in Dublin on 12 September and that Trump spend a short few hours in the city meeting dignitaries and the US ambassador Edward Walsh. 

He will then travel by Air Force One to Shannon and fly by helicopter to attend the Irish Open at his golf resort in Doonbeg. 

As revealed by The Journal US officials are scrambling to find hotel rooms for a potential entourage of 1,000 people, many of whom will be US security officers. 

The “extraordinary event” status means that garda leave is cancelled, rest days are changed and training is halted to free up gardaí to participate in the policing plan. Thousands of officers will be involved in the operation at multiple locations in Dublin, Shannon Airport and around Doonbeg. 

Gardaí from across the country will have to be deployed to manage the events in County Clare – dubbed Operation Far Sunrise. 

The Journal understands that a document circulated to members of An Garda Síochána told them they would have to “manage their own accommodation needs”.

It is understood that the subsistence claim for booking your own hotel room as a garda is limited to just under €160 a night. 

The problem for gardaí is clear. Just a cursory examination on hotel booking websites show that a room in the west and mid west of Ireland will cost more than €1,000 when they are to be deployed between 9 September and 14 September. Some rooms will cost in thousands of euro and one hotel is charging €16,000. 

In the past, during events such as the visit of former US President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II, the logistics for hotel stays were managed by the garda organisation. The force has also utilised student accommodation in university cities for previous operations, but that is not an option this time. 

The document has told gardaí that only in “exceptional circumstances” will the force book hotel or B&B stays for gardaí.

Niall Hodgins, President of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) said the accommodation issue for gardaí “is nothing short of a shambles”.

“These events are being described as extraordinary with resources being pulled from all over the country, yet our members are being required to go and find their own places to stay at short notice and now the accommodation costs are astronomical, with venues quoting from €1,000 to €9,000 for just three nights’ stay.

“It’s bad enough that our members’ days off and annual leave are being cancelled, and issues over meals and allowances, but now it would actually leave our members out of pocket for the ‘privilege’ of policing the visit,” he said. 

Two gardaí involved in a security operation at Doonbeg during Trump's 2023 visit. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Hodgins said that the situation for operational gardaí is “simply unsustainable” and that the GRA had multiple meetings with management in which the issues were raised previously. 

“If garda management and government cannot secure suitable housing to accommodate our members, it is difficult to see how enough gardaí will be able to police such a large event.

“This is a health and safety and welfare issue for our members where basic employment rights are being trampled upon.

“These events have been flagged up to 18 months in advance and here we are 13 days out with no details of essential accommodation for our members or even if it will be available at all.

“The old adage comes to mind: Fail to prepare, prepare to fail,” he added.