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About 50 European leaders are due in Dublin on Thursday and Friday, and the U.S. Embassy says An Garda Síochána is running the largest security operation in the history of the Irish State to protect them.
The European Political Community summit takes place Thursday, November 12, at the Convention Centre Dublin, with a formal dinner that evening at the National Gallery of Ireland. An informal meeting of EU leaders follows on Friday. Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty told The Irish Times the operation would be "bigger than a US presidential visit."
Disruption begins Tuesday. North Wall Quay closes to traffic and pedestrians from 7 a.m., and a security zone goes up around the Convention Centre. From 8 p.m. Wednesday, a wider cordon takes effect and the Samuel Beckett Bridge closes to traffic. The Luas red line will not run east of Busáras and Connolly on Thursday and Friday. Arrivals and departures for the events use Dublin Airport and Casement Aerodrome, with extra Garda patrols on the perimeter roads of both sites.
The build-up has included hoax threats. On Friday, November 6, threatening emails reached RTÉ, Bauer Media, Virgin Media and Mediahuis, claiming bombs had been placed at their offices. Staff were evacuated and RTÉ briefly stopped live programming. The Irish Times reports the same message went to at least 50 to 60 media outlets across Europe. Sources described it as crude and generic, with no specific threat to Irish outlets.
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan said the threats are under investigation. The paper reports that Russia or a Russian-aligned entity has not been ruled out, though no suspect has been named.
Officials rate the national threat level as moderate and the level for the leaders' meetings as substantial. Gardaí are being brought in from across the country, and Shannon Airport will serve as a backup transport hub.
The embassy also notes that a 24-hour public sector strike is possible nationwide on Thursday. It could disrupt government services, schools and national museums, with picket lines likely at public buildings and in city centers. Protests, cordons and transport disruption are expected in central Dublin from Tuesday, with the heaviest impact on November 12. The embassy will be open on November 12 and 13.
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