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MIDDLE RANKING GARDAÍ have expressed concern that the force is not adequately trained and prepared to handle a terrorist attack like those seen in Paris and Brussels recently.
Addressing the final day of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) conference earlier, one delegate said “Ireland is not exempt” from international terror threats.
“What would you do if a terrorist bomb exploded on our main thoroughfares tomorrow, or if there was an attack with chemical or biological weapons at a large-scale public event such as the All-Ireland?” he asked sergeants and inspectors.
I’ll tell you what you’d do – panic, panic and panic. We’d run around like headless chickens panicking. We, the people here today and our frontline colleagues around the country actually wouldn’t have a clue where to start, what plan to put in place, or how to investigate the incident.
After the Paris attacks, the Department of Justice said a terrorist attack was “possible, but not likely” in Ireland.
However the garda sergeant said those on the front line are “bereft of knowledge, instruction or direction” when it comes to planning and investigating international terrorist incidents.
And it is not just the international terrorists they are worried about, he told delegates.
He said the ongoing threat from Irish terrorist organisations has not gone away and the challenges they present have not been catered for over the past ten years of austerity and cutbacks.
The UK Home Office’s report, of March 2016, on International Terrorism reports that there are 80 proscribed terrorist organisations in the world. Believe it or not, 14 of the proscribed international terrorist organisations are based on the island of Ireland, and include the IRA, UVF and the various splinter groups associated with Northern Ireland terrorism.
The conference heard a call to have members appropriately trained in intelligence gathering, information analysis, prevention planning, interception techniques and evacuation. The delegate said a general policy be adapted “to advise all members of pertinent information of threats”.
He said this would help ensure gardaí are not “blinded by the spectacle, but ready, alert and capable of putting in place a coordinated plan”.
Read all of our coverage from this year’s AGSI conference here.
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You’ve got to appreciate their honesty.
Are we that stupid to expose our weakness like that? Jeez…no one thought to not publish that the police cannot protect people or even find the people. I just hope this piece of information is not the trigger for an attack
The Girl…what’s our defence army for…I love how gullible some people are.
When they get their pay restoration they’ll be fully prepared so! The force that has been recognised around the world since the ’70s as experts in fighting terrorism have suddenly forgotten how it’s done now that their middle management want a pay rise – don’t make me laugh..
They haven’t gone away ya know.
Sparky thinks our Army could mobilise quickly in the event of a paris style attack. Bless him.
Vincent did I say that….I just questioned why our defence army does..in a situation like this surely they should be taking the lead on it.
Vincent, Why do you think they couldn’t?
Sparky…not all members are combat troops..or combat ready..or available..weapons and equipment is not readily available…counter terrorist trained soldiers may be scattered,off duty,abroad..transport,C+C,communications,transport,intelligence…but this is,as Fiona and Francis said..all scaremongering..it wont ever happen.the gardai will prevent any atrocities..even if they have to arrest and handcuff the wahabbis.
The ones with experience from that far back have retired by now though.
So what’s your point..give the weapons to the gardi
Middle Management Garda are well paid. All Garda can retire aged 50 if they wish. There is no doubt, a Garda’s job is difficult in these times & the younger recruits deserve a rise. Garda in their 50′s & 60′s have had it easy – there was more respect for Gardai in the 70′s 80′s& 90′s & less incidents derserving of their attention.
Not all Gardai can retire at 50. FACT
Our special branches of the guards and of the army are incredibly well respected around the world and are known for being among the best. I have no doubt that they can mobilise quickly and react to any sort of attack. Maybe the garda on the street with only a few months’ experience would run around like a headless chicken, but the elite branches of our defence and protection services certainly wouldn’t. The regular guards who walk the beat need more training, sure, but to say that divisions like the ERU and the Rangers would run around panicking is more than a bit ridiculous.
They already do without a terrorist attack
No Alexandra, and this is a positive post beginning with a negative, that’s just the usual Hyperbole from the crew, no doubt the author of that statement is a headless chicken, but be in no doubt that the lads and ladies that actually would be doing the ” reacting” and not spoofing about it, are top pro’s , and twud bd handled as well as anywhere. Well and good to seek your key demands, but steady on there AGSI boys, the lads have yet backs, ye will b grand.
Veronica who said they are respected around the world? Most people in Ireland can relate to “the unbelievables” sketch on our Gardai a few short years ago. Big thick Farming type lads with egos was the norm back then.. I know they’re a lot smarter these days but I doubt in a few short years they gained international respect
@seamus – not all Garda may wish or be in a financial position to retire at 50. So what are / if any other exceptions ?
Well if we can not defend ourselves from these types of attacks, could we at least try to stop wilfully importing the demographic that causes these attacks?
Including being allowed to deport known terrorists and terrorist sympathisers!!
Careful is the spokesman for concern, the Irish refugee council etc will be on calling you a racist.
Since they call everyone Racists Nazis and Bigots these words have no meaning or impact anymore.
They have nothing left in their weapons Arsenal for dealing with their arch enemy….. Logic.
What a reassuring article for all of us taxpayers, who I believe pay one of the highest tax rates in europe, so, where is our money going!!, It is time for answers!
We have one of the lowest income tax rates. VAT is one of the highest alright. We borrow if we realied on taxes we d be screwed.
Freddie’s right, we need a tax rate increase to fund investment in anti terror policing. Or, a cut back in policing services in other areas, to ensure the frequent, if not constant terror attacks on this island are reduced.
No we need to divert the waste of money going to Irish water into the gardai we do not need any more taxes.
Please dont forget that the minister for Justice stated on the news recently that her police department IS ready and prepared for such threats. In other words she hasnt a clue.
Go on bloody strike lads.. ull have the support of the public. .
Gardaí need to be armed to deal with this now ever growing threat
How about not importing this ever growing threat in the first place? I saw the ever growing threat trying to bust its way through the Macedonian border today, savages. The Irish navy is busy picking up the ever growing threat a stones throw off the coast of Libya.
4000 africans picked up in the med in the last 2 days and brought to europe by europes navies…
Might as well have titled it “Come on in lads, we haven’t got a clue!”
When we can’t even find or jail criminals who kill our police officers..it tells you everything about how serious we are
We know, we’ve seen ‘em.
And the article right below this is about a bomb found in Naas….oh right!
In fairness to my earlier comment they suffer from severe underfunding, they’re not allowed to do their job properly and have to deal with constant political interference. If we want a world class police force then we’re going to have to pay for one, invest in it.
What’s all the hassle about? We’d do what we’d always doe when the shit hits the fan, call the British to give us a hand out. There’s about 6-7,000 British soldiers there who’ll happily pop across the border to give us a hand. And don’t think the contingency plans aren’t in place.
Scarlet when we have to do that for 5-6 sunni wahabbis….ask the brits for help..
Eddie, in such a case the British wouldn’t even wait to be asked before sending them over the border since they’d consider it to be in their own national security interests to intervene.
Francis said this wont ever happen..that we are europes favourite people and that our garda siochana are more than able to arrest any misunderstood vulnerable radicalised individual.we’ll be grand going forward.
Running around like headless chickens.
No change there so.
The upper management of the police force in this country is more worried about the media and politicos than being pro-active on crime or terrorism. It is not the ordinary members fault, they can only do what the chiefs demand. Unfortunately the policing policies of the past number of decades has made this country the gun crime, rape, child abuse, corruption, drug abuse, animal cruelty capital of Europe. The jolly old leadership of AGS will tell you different. I do not see any prospect of this changing as the force is led by the weak willed politically savvy bosses.
Mmm..could you imagine a muslim terrorist is shot during an attack of some sort….by a garda….straight away the copper is suspended for investigation by GSOC..they find hes a subscriber to youtube channel Syriatube…straight away hes a radicalised anti muslim….
I would argue that some countries are prepared. Look at the rapid response of armed police in the US in the wake of the Boston Bombings or how rapidly Belgian special forces were deployed on the streets of Brussels to stop any attempted Paris-style walking gunmen attacks. In Ireland, how are the Gardaí supposed to handle one pumped-up young jihadist with a gun or a suicide vest?
Just another day at the office then!
The reality is that Ireland is not at risk and the only danger is over reacting to false positives of potential threats.
# fiona de freyne
What a stupid irresponsible comment !!
Naive beyond belief , we’re harbouring ISIS recruiters and funders and since we can’t deport them, do you not think training our Front line responders in how best to deal with a situation like a terrorist attack a decent investment Fiona?
general alarmism serves the terrorist agenda; that’s what the terrorists want.
If they were just a bunch of pranksters that alarm and frighten people we would be grand. They bomb and kill civilians. That’s not alarmist. It’s a fact.
Fiona is the only one here making sense.. The rest have succumbed to terrorism, a sad thing.
It’s called being proactive Fiona, anticipating a problem and planning for it, even if it is unlikely
Sticking your head in the sand serves the terrorist agenda as well.
Fiona, standard Ostrich like response from regressive leftists.
The left will destroy itself.
Socrates. .what role does our defence army play in this..I would think they are our front line in a case like this.
If the risk is truly material and a reality, I can understand the need to prioritise. No solid intelligence has been cited to explain why Ireland should be considered to be at threat or why out of the list of 68 countries a tiny, obscure, unthreatening and non-belligerent country should be singled out for priority attention from terrorists.
That said, the idea of terrorism appeals to the drama queen tendency which was especially evident in the 2 weeks after Paris and the 10 days after Brussells. N
Personally speaking, I’m not worried. I’ve a better chance of winning the lotto twice in a row. I don’t live in fear.
Well said Fiona…Francis will give you top marks…
Fiona…that – and puddles of Kuffar blood…
Fiona, Having a plan in case of a terrorist attack is not being a “drama queen” – it’s being prudent and safety conscious. It’s not about going around thinking there will be a terrorist attack – but knowing what to do if there is one. Also, why was Belgium a target? It’s a pretty peaceful “unthreatening and non-belligerent country”.
Ah, now i recognise this great middle eastern expert.
Rashers, Who?
If you really believe what you say in your comments,I would be inclined to think that you do in fact harbour a certain level of fear.This I am sure of.
Fiona, ‘no solid intelligence cited…’, are you actually for real or just trolling? If they openly listed and identified intelligence then it wouldn’t very well be fückïng intelligence now would it! And I’d despair the day that a countries whole intelligence infrastructure is instead designed to just cite a story etc so that a random citizen can make a more credible tweet on an Internet article.
There’s some advert for ISIS
This government won’t build prisons to house criminals in Ireland who are terrorising old people in rural Ireland. The legal profession control the justice department so terrorists and terrorism is simply more business for them.
Mind…true..the DAESH recruiter that we cant identify,deport,criticise,hug or interrupt his social welfare payments…he is providing a “revenue stream going forward” for a number of our legal folk.
The army are there,but I’m shocked they do not have this sort of training done.holy mother.
They do and are. They are the primary responders to any CBRN style attack. The army can only be called out by the minister. Who will only call them when it’s an issue the gardai are not trained for or when they lack resources.
They do have the training done. We have a specialised force called the Army Ranger Wing. They are considered among the best in the world,actually ranked above the SAS or the navy seals.
Michael…i do want to pull on the green jersey for this one but….other than long range rifle…ARE the rangers that good??
You…is there a unit on standby?
Yes, the Rangers are pretty good at their job and highly rated among the special forces in the world. That being said I’d take the SEALS or SAS, who have a lot more hands-on experience, over the Rangers who haven’t got the same level of expertise in dealing with Islamic extremists.
Yes Peter they are that good. They are not just snipers,they are trained in hostage extraction,building assaults etc. I believe there are competitions held frequently between NATO special forces and the ARW usually finish near the top. They are highly respected amongst NATO forces. Having said that ,Jason is right in that the Seals or the SAS would have more actual experience,still good to know they are around.
Michael…actual combat experience does seem to be crucial and i heard favourable reports from east Timor but thats not quite the same thing.All the 1st world special units have seen numerous combat missions and have proven themselves to be absolutely elite – israeli,french,british,US,russian…and of course we tend not to hear of the failed missions..I do hope that if the time comes for ARW intervention that they are available in sufficient numbers and at a high level of readiness.I dont doubt they are trained as well as any of their EU mates…
Get real. Rangers would shoot each other if balloon went up.
Who wouldn’t in fairness??? Give them some ammo and maybe they can protect themselves first and then us…
Any attack will be limited by the arms and ordinance used.Bombings will be a standard investigation.Incidents involving guns limited to the amount of ammunition available to the perpetrators. The Gardai will do all they can to contain the gunmen with assistance from the army.Even with training it will take time to organise a response. A permanent on call unit would minimise deaths in the event of a shooting spree.Our government regardless of who is in power would never finance such a unit. They would fund endless hours of overtime afterwards with high profile policing on the streets to give the impression we are being protected from a repeat attack.A pointless exercise that is proven historically in many countries.
If any particular group is identified as the perpetrators, for instance Daesh…..well then the authorities will have to deal with the vigilante backlash that will happen.
We are a liberal open society with no current mindset socially or politically to deal with this kind of terrorism and we are going to have to realise sooner rather than later that the Geneva mindset embossed with human rights and all those things we take for granted are weapons that will be used against us. We are going to have to make some very hard decisions to protect our way of life.I do not believe we are capable of making those decisions yet…and will not be until we lose a lot of loved ones…..
Alan…well put.
Why do we have a defence army..it’s a bit of scare mongering,
Sparky..you are correct..our minister of justice also said that to admit you are afraid of terrorists is scaremongering.
I saw a video online today of a phalanx of gardai kidnapping people in wicklow today on behalf of Denis O Bribes company Irish Water awful waste of garda time would it not be better if they paid attention to more important things. Just saying.
Denis O’Brien is the Irish equivalent of Elliot Carver from Tomorrow never dies :)
I’m not sure where he keeps his stealth ship or gigantic german hatchet man though :)
Probably trust IS more than Id trust the guards…based on experience.
Range…id say you are probably right…when Ahmed from deir ez zour says hes going to burn you alive you can put money on him keeping his word…the average country copper says “ill break both your legs”…naaaw hes never gonna…ould sh##e talk.
“In the event of a terrorist attack” its a bit late then to have guns , but anyway great to know your on your own pal if anything happens!
It is sad to see some Irish men, I suspect a minority, who in the past had courage, dignity and confidence succumb to fear, alarmism, prejudice and reactionary anxiety.
Ah Fiona …now you are just rubbing it in….take it easy..
Reacctionary? How long did it take France and Belgium to find those lads and that was after th damage was done? Face it serious security questions must be asked its hardly premature
Just make sure to Protect the Guinness Brewery and all will be fine!!
Shannon Airport, Online Radicalisation and Why ISIS place Ireland in the Coalition of Devils http://www.headstuff.org/2016/01/why-isis-place-ireland-in-the-coalition-of-devils/
I’ve no doubt he’s entirely correct.
Police wouldn’t be involved in tackling terrorists like that, we have security forces who are professional and specifically trained for counter-terrorism as does every country in the World and it is not the police. Yes they are under resourced, they have poor equipment, but making statements like that who the hell would give people guns with an attitude like that.
Just get in McGregor
Just Eggs actly what does he mean.?
It would be like the Justice’s Internet child porn case so. Gardaí running around for days ‘looking’ to serve a warrant, waiting for it to run out. Piss or get off the pot, Commissioner.
Sure there useless anyway only good for speed checks and checkpoints for tax insurance and nct
beat-cops don’t need to know. If there is a disaster plan in place from leadership, which there inevitably is, then that is about as good as it will get.
Do the Irish police carry guns now or are tgey still unarmed?
Jaon’s been practicing for the possibility of an attack by playing Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six on his PC again :)
Pic suits title!
So Ireland could deal with threats from paramilitary organisations like the IRA and all the loyalist groups but it’s ill equipped to deal with Islamic terrorism? Even though the threat from the former was far bigger than this second threat?
Telling us what we already know. We’re not ready for something like that & that’s a scary thought
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