Dublin faces closures and cordons for largest-ever Garda operation for EU presidency
Two EU presidency meetings in Dublin on 12 and 13 November have triggered what gardaí call the biggest policing and security operation in the State's history, with rolling road closures, diverted transport and business disruption, alongside a public sector strike and Garda work to rule.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1Dublin is under road closures and security cordons for two EU presidency meetings: a European Political Community (EPC) meeting of heads of state and government on Thursday 12 November and an informal meeting of EU heads of state and government on Friday 13 November, both at the Convention Centre Dublin. The Irish TimesLC “The European Political Community meeting of heads of state and government from across Europe, the largest heads of state and government gathering Ireland has ever hosted, will take place on Thursday, November 12th, in the Convention Centre Dublin”“An informal meeting of EU heads of state and government will take place on Friday, November 13th, at the Convention Centre Dublin.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Gardaí said the policing and security operation is the largest undertaken by An Garda Síochána in the history of the State; it began incrementally on 10 and 11 November, and the public were advised to leave extra time and expect delays. The Irish TimesLC “Gardaí said the policing and security operation for the meetings will be the largest undertaken by An Garda Síochána in the history of the State.”“The public are advised to leave extra time for their journeys and to expect delays.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Centre · 1The Evening Standard reported that more than 50 world leaders will attend the EPC summit, with a dinner at the National Gallery of Ireland on the south side of the city. Evening StandardN “More than 50 world leaders will visit Dublin for the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday”“followed by a dinner event at the National Gallery on the south side of the city” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Left · 1The tightest restrictions surround the Convention Centre, where a security zone runs from Tuesday morning to Friday evening with no cycling, walking or vehicle access, and North Wall Quay is closed to traffic from 7am on Tuesday. The Irish TimesLC “No cycling, walking or vehicle access will be allowed in this area during the period. North Wall Quay will be closed to traffic from 7am on Tuesday morning.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1A wider traffic management cordon around the Convention Centre runs from 8pm on Wednesday until Friday evening, with Samuel Beckett Bridge closed and restrictions in the north inner city; residents and businesses keep access subject to security checks. The Irish TimesLC “Samuel Beckett Bridge will be closed to traffic from 8pm.”“Access to residents and businesses will remain open, with security checks.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1A separate cordon covers the National Gallery of Ireland from 7am on Wednesday, and on Thursday security checks apply to an area bounded by Baggot Street, Fitzwilliam Street, Merrion Square North, Clare Street and Kildare Street, with significant road closures expected from 3pm to 7pm. The Irish TimesLC “On Thursday, there will be security checks for those entering an area bounded by Baggot Street, Fitzwilliam Street, Merrion Square North, Clare Street and Kildare street, with residential and business access only.”“road closures can be expected in parts of the city from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday.” Read at The Irish Times ↗
Left · 1Leaders will arrive and depart via Dublin Airport and Casement Aerodrome, where extra Garda patrols and traffic restrictions apply; the airport is operating as normal but travellers on Wednesday and Thursday were advised to allow plenty of time. The Irish TimesLC “Arrivals and departures for these events will take place at Dublin Airport and Casement Aerodrome.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ The Irish TimesLC “The airport will operate as normal but people travelling on Wednesday and Thursday are advised to arrive with plenty of time to make their flight.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Buses serving the quays east of Custom House are diverted from 10 to 13 November and Merrion Square routes on Thursday and Friday; the Luas red line does not run east of Busáras/Connolly on Thursday and Friday, and Irish Rail services continue with some diversions at Docklands Station. The Irish TimesLC “Bus services will be diverted from Merrion Square, and the Luas red line will not operate east of Busáras/Connolly on Thursday and Friday.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ The Irish TimesLC “All Irish Rail services will continue to operate but there will be some diversions in place for customers travelling to and from Docklands Station.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Mixed · 2Dublin City Council advised commuters to use public transport, walk or cycle and minimise car use, while the National Transport Authority expects every bus route in the capital to be affected by knock-on disruption and asked people to consider whether their plans in Dublin are necessary. The Irish TimesLC “Dublin City Council advised commuters to use public transport, walk or cycle if possible and to minimise their car use as much as possible during this time.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Evening StandardN “Transport chiefs expect every bus route in the capital to be affected by knock-on traffic disruption associated with road closures and diversions due to the event” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 1According to the Evening Standard, the operation involves thousands of gardaí, 100 motorcycle escort officers performing at least 200 VIP movements, 15,000 rolling 12-hour shifts, and officers drafted in from Northern Ireland, Latvia and Portugal, plus air and maritime exclusion zones. Evening StandardN “There will be 100 specially trained motorcycle escort officers who will perform a minimum of 200 movements of VIPs, including heads of state.”“Gardaí will take part in 15,000 rolling 12-hour shifts and have drafted in officers from Northern Ireland, Latvia and Portugal.”“Exclusion zones have also been put in place for air and maritime as world leaders descend on the city.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said about 500 public order trained members and 500 officers of various disciplines, some armed in emergency response and close protection roles, will be deployed, with water cannon, public order dogs and horses available. Evening StandardN “Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said there will be approximately 500 public order trained Garda members along with 500 officers of various disciplines, some of whom will carry firearms”“Equipment including water cannon, public order dogs and horses will also be available for gardaí.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Kelly said there will be no toleration of protests, including fuel protests, that block motorways, critical infrastructure or EPC locations, and Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Roberts said gardaí will facilitate lawful, peaceful protest and have nothing to suggest planned protests will be otherwise. Evening StandardN “there’ll be absolutely no toleration for any blockage, anything in the next few days, anything around motorways, critical infrastructure, or any of the EPC locations”“We have nothing to suggest that any protest that is planned will be anything other than peaceful.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Left · 1The operation coincides with a second public sector strike on Thursday, after talks stalled following the 14 October shutdown in which over 300,000 workers took part, and with a Garda Representative Association work to rule from Tuesday to Friday; gardaí are legally barred from full strike action. The Irish TimesLC “The last strike saw over 300,000 workers take part.”“The Garda Representative Association, which is a representative body for rank-and-file gardaí, has instructed members to take part in a work to rule from Tuesday to Friday.”“Gardaí are legally barred from taking full strike action.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1The Irish Times reported that the work to rule could affect the policing operation, and that Kelly told gardaí he expects them to "undertake your duties as directed and to support this operation"; eight strike-day rallies are planned nationwide, and a Dublin march is unconfirmed, with sites such as Merrion Square possibly off limits. The Irish TimesLC “Commissioner Justin Kelly told gardaí he expects them to “undertake your duties as directed and to support this operation” in spite of the industrial action.”“There has also been some discussion of a march in Dublin, potentially down O’Connell Street, but this has not been confirmed” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Businesses near the cordons report an impact: the owner of Boca Cafe at Spencer Dock said closing on Thursday and Friday would "wipe out maybe about six weeks of any profit", a Grand Canal Dock restaurant expects 6 per cent lower sales, and a Pearse Street coffee shop expects customers at less than half the usual level, while a Custom House Dock bar said it would be "business as usual" despite cancellations. The Irish TimesLC “would “wipe out maybe about six weeks of any profit””““expecting 6 per cent less in sales””“it would be “business as usual here” even if the restrictions are “absolutely going to be a pain for us”” Read at The Irish Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Times runs a service-journalism series on what residents, commuters and businesses should expect, with detailed lists of closures and diversions, then the local business impact and the clash with the public sector strike and Garda work to rule.
- Emphasis
- Practical detail of cordons, transport changes and times; the strike and work to rule overlapping the operation; business owners' losses.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the scale figures on officers, shifts and equipment, or the protest policy statements, that the Evening Standard reports.
- For example
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“The public are advised to leave extra time for their journeys and to expect delays.” — The Irish Times
“A Garda work to rule is also scheduled to take place from Tuesday to Friday.” — The Irish Times
“Business owners expect the traffic and security measures to have a huge impact on trade in affected areas” — The Irish Times
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- The Evening Standard leads with the scale of security, calling it a "ring of steel" that has brought parts of Dublin to a standstill, and stresses Garda manpower, equipment and zero tolerance for protest.
- Emphasis
- Numbers of officers, firearms and water cannon, the more than 50 world leaders, and Garda warnings on protests and fuel protests.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the public sector strike or Garda work to rule, or the effects on local businesses.
- Charged language
- “ring of steel”
- For example
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“The biggest security operation in the history of the Irish state is under way, as authorities in Dublin mount a ring of steel throughout the capital.” — Evening Standard
“Equipment including water cannon, public order dogs and horses will also be available for gardaí.” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Two EU presidency meetings (EPC summit on 12 November, informal EU Council on 13 November) take place at the Convention Centre Dublin.
- Gardaí describe the operation as the largest policing and security operation in the history of the State.
- Road closures, cordons and public transport diversions run through to Friday evening.
- Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly leads the operation's public messaging.
Garda Síochána organisation
Gardaí say this is the largest operation in the State's history, expect cooperation despite the work to rule, will tolerate no blocking of roads or critical infrastructure, and will facilitate lawful, peaceful protest.
“Gardaí said the policing and security operation for the meetings will be the largest undertaken by An Garda Síochána in the history of the State.” — The Irish Times
“we will facilitate lawful, peaceful protest” — Evening Standard
European Political Community meeting Dublin event
The EPC meeting is described as the largest gathering of heads of state and government Ireland has hosted, with a formal dinner at the National Gallery of Ireland on Thursday evening.
“the largest heads of state and government gathering Ireland has ever hosted” — The Irish Times
Left5 articles
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‘Significant’ disruption in Dublin next week with largest-ever Garda operation for EU presidency
Neutral Advance notice of the meetings and the dated closures, cordons and transport changes.
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EU meetings and public sector strike to disrupt Dublin roads and transport
Neutral Week-ahead guide combining EU security restrictions with the public sector strike and Garda work to rule.
Show 1 moreShow fewer
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‘It’s a shame something that should be positive for Ireland has a negative impact’ on firms
Sympathetic Focuses on small business owners facing lost trade, with some closing, while a few stay open.
Centre1 article
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Ring of steel see parts of Dublin brought to standstill ahead of major EU events
Mixed Security-focused account of a "ring of steel" with manpower figures and warnings on protests.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 4 Nov 00:01 First The Irish TimesLC ‘Significant’ disruption in Dublin next week with largest-ever Garda operation for EU presidency
- 5 Nov 14:58 +38h 58m The Irish TimesLC Dublin road closures: What to expect during State’s biggest policing operation
- 6 Nov 18:27 +66h 26m The Irish TimesLC Dublin prepares for EU summit road closures: ‘They have castles and acres for this’
- 8 Nov 16:04 +112h 3m The Irish TimesLC EU meetings and public sector strike to disrupt Dublin roads and transport
- 10 Nov 06:00 +149h 59m The Irish TimesLC ‘It’s a shame something that should be positive for Ireland has a negative impact’ on firms
- 11 Nov 11:08 +179h 8m Evening StandardN Ring of steel see parts of Dublin brought to standstill ahead of major EU events
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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