Visit security involves thousands

Gardaí, the Defence Forces and US secret service personnel will mount a major security operation during the visit to Ireland this weekend of President George W. Bush.

Almost 4,000 gardaí will be supported by more than 2,000 soldiers.

Mr Bush will fly in and out of Shannon Airport, and will stay overnight at Dromoland Castle nearby during his visit for the EU-US summit.

The summit takes place at the castle on Saturday.

Members of the US secret service have been in the State for a number of weeks, and have been assigned Garda liaison officers, with whom they have been working closely.

Preparations have included a trawl of land, sewers and roads in the mid-west to make sure they are free of explosive devices.

At least eight helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft will be deployed for the visit. There will also be four naval vessels deployed in the Shannon Estuary.

The health services and Irish Prison Service are also involved in the operation.

The mid-western regional hospitals in Limerick and Ennis have been designated to receive casualties, and arrangements have been made to clear beds if needed. Extra medical staff will also be drafted in.

A special emergency medical centre has been set up near Shannon Airport, where protests are planned. A chemical decontamination unit will also be located at the centre, and additional ambulances will be laid on.

Bed spaces have been cleared at Limerick Prison in the event that there are large numbers of arrests. Holding cells will also be located at a warehouse in Shannon Industrial Estate, where a temporary courthouse and Garda station will be located.

Three Garda command centres have been established in the mid-west. These are at Shannon Airport, Shannon Garda station and Dromoland Castle.

Temporary CCTV cameras will monitor protests around Shannon Airport and Dromoland Castle, and the Garda Air Support Unit will monitor protests.

Those living and working in and around Shannon and Dromoland Castle have been issued with special passes which will allow them access in and out of some areas within the security cordon.

However, gardaí have warned that major traffic restrictions will be in place in the mid-west, and that motorists will probably face serious delays.

Two water cannon were moved into the Shannon region last night. The Garda public order unit, or riot squad, will also be deployed around Dromoland Castle and Shannon. These gardaí will be bused into the area in Garda and prison service vehicles, and will react to flash-points if they arise on Friday and Saturday. The Garda Mounted Unit will also be on standby.

Most Defence Forces and Garda personnel will be deployed around Shannon Airport to avoid any breaches of security or an embarrassing repetition of the hatchet attack by a peace protester which grounded a US military aircraft at Shannon Airport last year.

The entire operation is being headed up by Assistant Commissioner Dermot Jennings, who is in charge of the western region, and is expected to cost around €3 million. Most of the gardaí involved will be working overtime.

Gardaí in Dublin will also police protests at the weekend.