An Garda Síochána’s security operation at the Russian embassy compound in south Dublin has cost the State millions of euro since it began in 2022, with overtime expenditure alone now about to reach €1 million.
Sources said overtime spending “supplemented” the main operation, which is mostly run on rostered Garda hours. As a result, the overall cost of the security operation has now reached several million euro, they said.
Information obtained by The Irish Times suggests overtime spending this year has been higher than at any point since the round-the-clock Garda operation at the embassy in Rathgar began just after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
In the first half of this year, the overtime bill was €123,907. Garda sources said that due to the policing pressures of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union since July 1st, it was likely more of its operation outside the Russian embassy would need to be funded with overtime in the second half of this year.
Between March 2022 and the end of June this year the Garda had spent €875,000 on overtime ensuring a full-time Garda presence at the embassy, the main entrance to which is off Orwell Road. It means the overtime bill is soon expected exceed €1 million.
The Garda commenced a large-scale security operation at the embassy in the weeks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While patrols around the embassy were stepped up immediately the invasion began, a much larger, full-time and static security presence was put in place within weeks.
This happened after an ecclesiastical supplies lorry was reversed into the embassy gates in March 2022 in protest at the invasion, raising concerns that other forms of direct protest could take place. The Office of Public Works was forced to repair the damage to the gates, at a cost of €13,250. The driver was acquitted in court of dangerous driving.
Russian ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov complained at the time that gardaí were not doing enough to keep him and his staff safe.
After that incident, uniformed gardaí were posted outside the embassy on a 24-hour basis with security barriers also erected. A Garda command-and-control centre was put in place for a time. Garda Headquarters was keen to deter any future criminal forms of protest, though peaceful protest has been facilitated.
As part of the operation, which remains in operation, Garda members open and close a security barrier to allow staff enter and exit in vehicles. Just behind them, inside the grounds, Russian security staff are posted.
Although the embassy is in a quiet suburban setting, it is a vast complex bounded by residences and streets, which poses additional challenges for gardaí. Aside from the main property, which is visible from the road, a number of large buildings have been constructed behind it, including two three-storey over-basement apartment buildings.
It includes underground car parking for staff. The compound also has its own ESB substation and satellite dishes and antennas.
While concern has been expressed about the scale of the embassy, now a mini campus, gardaí and the Government have been keen to deter any attacks or incursions as the war on Ukraine continues.
They fear an incident, even one planned as a non-violent protest, may spin out of control and they want to avoid adverse international media coverage that may arise from a breach of security.