Justice Minister says bomb threats not deemed credible can’t impact EU summits

Major political summits hosted in Dublin this week cannot be impacted by bomb threats not deemed credible by An Garda Síochána, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said.

The ninth meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) takes place at the Convention Centre in Dublin on Thursday, the biggest meeting of heads of state Ireland has hosted.

The showcase of the Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union is to be followed by a dinner hosted by the Taoiseach and more informal meetings on Friday.

Several Irish media outlets received hoax bomb alerts on Friday, at the end of a week during which airlines across parts of Europe were also targeted with similar fake threats, among them flights that departed from Dublin.

Speaking at the launch of Ireland’s first national community safety strategy on Monday, Jim O’Callaghan said he hoped threats of that kind would not derail the EU events in Dublin.

He said: “I hope that won’t happen. I spoke to the commissioner on Friday about those threats that were phoned in to media organisations, and obviously the threats in the previous days in respect of airlines.

“The Gardaí are well prepared for the events that are happening in Ireland this week in terms of the large number of European leaders coming here.

“They’ve done a very good job in respect of ensuring that locations are safe and have been scanned for any potential threats there.

“So I have great confidence in An Garda Síochána that the events of this week will pass off without incident.

“Obviously, some threats will be more credible than others. We can’t simply stop everything on the basis of threats which the Gardaí assess not to be credible.”

He added: “It’s obviously a very easy thing to do to phone in a threat, but as the Taoiseach stated on Friday, we will pursue the individuals who make these threats, and they will be held to account.

“It’s obviously a huge policing event but I’m very confident that the commissioner and members of An Garda Síochána will once again do us proud.

“We have good protocols in place from An Garda Síochána to ensure that these events will pass off successfully, and I would just urge anyone who’s thinking of making threats that they need to be aware that the full forces of the law will be there to meet them.”

About 50 heads of state will be in Dublin for the EPC summit on Thursday, which will see the largest security operation in the history of the country.

A rank-and-file Garda work-to-rule action is planned in the days around the event, in a dispute over working conditions, and will also cover the informal EU Council meeting on Friday.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the hosting of the European presidency has been an “enormous task” for gardaí.

Speaking in Co Tipperary on Monday, Mr Martin said that “all hands are on deck this week” when asked about the garda work-to-rule action.

“An Garda Síochána have prepared well for it, Defence Forces have, our National Cyber Security Centre as well. So, I pay tribute to all involved and the work the people have been doing,” Mr Martin said.

“This week represents the largest-ever security operation in the history of the state.

“It would be bigger than even a visit of an American president. That’s the context. We know there are many challenges across Europe from a security perspective, so it’s extremely important that all hands are on deck this week.

“I think the commissioner has led the force very ably and in a caring way also, and I want to pay tribute to him and the leadership shown so far. I think it’s important that we ensure these events go off properly, which I’m sure and confident they will, and that they will be productive in terms of the context and substance of the meetings.”

Mr O’Callaghan said: “I’m not going to negotiate, but I’ve always had a very good relationship with the GRA (Garda Representative Association). I know that An Garda Síochána want to police events, and I think they should be let police these events as effectively as they can.

“I’ve spoken to the Commissioner in respect to this matter, and I again want to commend the work that’s been done by the Gardaí, and I think the Gardaí will take their leadership from the commissioner when it comes to the events of this week.

“There are mechanisms in place to deal with any issues that are of concern in the industrial relations context for members of An Garda Síochána, and I appeal to them on the basis of the national interest that’s at stake this week to do their best, as they’ve always done, to ensure that these events can be thoroughly policed.”