Garda bill for Pope’s visit to set taxpayers back €10m
Middle-East tension adds to pressure for security
THE cost of Garda security for the Pope’s visit is expected to exceed €10million, the Irish Daily Mail can reveal.
Senior security sources have said that ‘no expense will be spared’ when it comes to the safety of Pope Francis and the crowds during his trip here in August.
The taxpayers will pick up the tab for security and other logistical costs, just as happens when heads of state pay an official visit here.
However, the Catholic Church will have to pay the remainder of the costs – and €5million has already been raised in various collections.
The security operation over the two-day visit will also see the cap on Garda overtime lifted, which means there will be a high level of Garda visibility on the streets.
‘A planned and co-ordinated security plan is in place for the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland,’ a security source told the Mail.
‘The level of threat here in Ireland for a potential terror related incident is low to moderate, all aspects are being examined ahead of the historic visit.’
The insider added: ‘Given the heightened tensions in the Middle East in recent times, we take all possible threats seriously, and while we don’t envision any major issues, we will be prepared.’ They added: ‘An operation of this scale is easily going to cost in or around the €10million or €12million marker.
‘As part of contingency plans the Army and Naval forces will be on stand-by should the need for them arise. Some roads will be blocked along the motorcade route by fire trucks, which will prevent any threats to the crowds expected to line the streets to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis.
‘We are trying to eliminate any possible threat to the Pope and the general public.
‘The Pope will be closely guarded during his visit, in part because of his high profile meetings with the Taoiseach and President Higgins,’ said the source. The Mail also understands that both Knock and the Phoenix Park will have hundreds of gardaí on site in plain clothes, surveying the crowds.
Last week, the Mail reported that Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy had ordered all Garda overtime in the Dublin divisions to be capped at 50 hours in a roster period.
However, it looks like this will be cancelled for the Pope’s visit and that all annual leave for gardaí in the Dublin Metropolitan area looks set to be suspended as well.
Assistant commissioners for the region gave the directive to cancel all Garda annual leave and rest-day periods for the day before the Pope arrives and the two days when he is in Ireland, the Mail understands.
The main purpose of his visit is to attend the Catholic World Meeting of Families in Croke Park on Saturday, August 25, and to celebrate the closing Mass at a gathering in the Phoenix Park the following day, which is expected to attract as many as 500,000 people.
Pope Francis will also fly to Knock’s Marian Shrine to publicly recite the Angelus on the Sunday, before heading to Dublin for the Phoenix Park event. Before this, on the Saturday, he will be welcomed to Dublin by President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Also on Saturday, the Pope will visit Dublin Castle and the Pro-Cathedral in the city, before paying a private visit to the popular Capuchin Day Centre for homeless people.
He is expected at Croke Park at 7.30pm for the WMOF.