Dublin airport and Dublin Port will now be policed by armed Gardaí amid growing concerns over terror attacks.
It’s believed that the Regional Support Unit for the capital will now provide a visible armed presence at both points of entry, wearing Swat-style uniforms and carrying high-velocity weapons.
According to The Irish Times, plans for a Dublin RSU were in the works long before the Brussels attacks but have been kicked into high gear in the days since the atrocities.
Sources say the decision to implement the plan sooner was made after a meeting yesterday morning at Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.
Earlier this week a statement released by the Irish Government read:
“The deplorable attacks in Brussels today have highlighted starkly once again the threat from international terrorism.
“There can never be any justification for such brutality.
“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of all those who have lost their lives, and also with the injured and we hope for their speedy recovery.
“Acts of violence like these are an attack on the democratic way of life that we in Ireland hold dear and the values that we share with our EU partners.
“There is no information at present of any Irish casualties but this is, of course, an evolving situation.
“The Garda Authorities and the Department of Foreign Affairs are liaising with the relevant authorities in Brussels and other international partners in the light of these attacks.
“While it remains the case that there is no specific information in relation to any threat to Ireland from international terrorism we cannot consider that we are immune from the threat.
“It remains the case that an attack here is assessed as possible but not likely.
“The level of threat is kept under constant review by An Garda Siochana and all appropriate measures will continue to be taken by the authorities here.
“For obvious security reasons, we could not go into the details of the operational responses. All the agencies here co-operate closely in respect of any threats that are identified.
“The activities of a small number of people based here and whose behaviour may be of concern will continue to be monitored closely.
“Of course, this is an international problem and An Garda Síochána cooperates very closely with its EU and other international security and intelligence counterparts on an ongoing basis in responding to these threats.”
