THE ‘RING OF steel’ put in place around Leinster House for budget day seemed to deter any and all protesters, with no demonstrations held outside the Oireachtas campus today.
A significant garda presence surrounded Leinster House all day, with security ramped up in light of the protests that were seen last month when the Dáil returned after its summer recess.
Some 200 garda personnel were deployed to the area for the day.
The Journal spoke to a number of gardaí stationed around Leinster House this evening with all of them saying they had not seen any protesters all day.
One garda said they did hear that there was a singular protester at around 5pm, but when this was checked with a number of other gardaí who were there at the time it emerged that the ‘protester’ was instead a man who shouted something at gardaí as he passed on his bike.
By 7pm this evening, the barriers erected around Leinster House were being dismantled.
And after a long day, the ‘ring of steel’ around Leinster House is being dismantled.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) October 10, 2023
I’m told by multiple gardaí that they have seen zero protesters all day. pic.twitter.com/ZuaGlPA7TF
Kildare Street; Molesworth Street; Merrion Street Upper and West; and Merrion Square South were all closed off for parts of today while an extensive cordon of steel barriers were erected along the streets surrounding Dáil Éireann.
Most years, budget day attracts public gatherings in the vicinity of Leinster House and government builidings, but a garda spokesperson said yesterday that anti-social behaviour was “not anticipated”.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference this evening, Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said the increased security around Leinster House for the Budget was necessary.
“It’s really not what I would want it to be. I hugely regret that it had to be in place but unfortunately it is needed.”
Donohoe and McGrath reflect on the increased level of security around Leinster House on Budget day @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/fdXBqUOWqI
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) October 10, 2023
Finance Minister Michael McGrath said politicians had no input into the decision to increase security, which was made by An Garda Siochana.
“It’s important that our democracy can continue to function. An Garda Siochana have a difficult job to do and we support them 100%,” McGrath said.
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