Elite unit of Swiss Guard working with gardaí for almost a year

AN ELITE unit of the Swiss Guard has been working with gardaí for almost 12 months to guarantee the protection of Pope Francis during his two-day Irish visit.

The Vatican unit – which supervises all papal trips – has worked with Garda chiefs since late 2017 to check the popemobile route, the pontiff’s openair appearances and even his planned movements by air and land while in Ireland.

The demands on the personal protection team are enormous given that Pope Francis is arguably the pontiff most insistent on meeting the public and having a lack of ceremony around him.

The papal security team is one of the most highly trained in the world, regularly working with elite police teams in Italy, France and the US.

For centuries, the Swiss Guard has provided personal protection for popes. Initially founded as a de facto military force to protect Vatican lands, it has evolved into one of the word’s most specialised personal protection units.

Despite the controversies which have surrounded the visit by Pope Francis to Ireland, the security risk is considered far below that in countries across South America and Africa visited by the Pope. While senior gardaí insisted the threat to Pope Francis is deemed to be very low – with no perceived terrorist threat –nothing has been left to chance by security chiefs.

Special Garda dog teams will check all routes to be used by the pontiff, and Swiss Guard protection units have been briefed on dummy runs of all planned papal movements around Ireland. A no-fly zone will be enforced around venues in Dublin and Co Mayo where the Pope will attend ceremonies. Controls will also be put in place for drone use.

Armed undercover detectives will be at all public events over the next two days. The public have been warned not to leave bags unattended as they will be disposed of by security staff.

“It is one of the most significant security operations mounted in Ireland over recent years,” a Garda source said. “But that is primarily because of the numbers involved.”

More than 2,500 gardaí will be involved in the operation. Gardaí were notified earlier this summer that all leave was effectively cancelled for the duration of the visit.