Cost of garda overtime for Joe Biden visit set to be 'significant'

Michael Bolton

The Minister for Justice Simon Harris has admitted the total cost of Garda overtime for Joe Biden's visit won't be known for a while yet, but can be expected to be significant.

Mr Harris has thanked officers for "stepping up when our country needs them." he has insisted it will "pale in significance" against the benefits of Joe Biden's visit

Leave days have been cancelled, and some members have been drafted in from other divisions to assist in Dublin, Louth and Mayo.

Mr Harris says the public can expect a significant policing operation in those areas between now and Friday.

"Annual leave has been cancelled, many have given up their rest days, many I'm sure had plans with their own family through the Easter period, had those plans halted.

"I would like to thank them for stepping up, as the gardai always do when our country needs them. It's very clear it's a very significant policing and security operation underway across our country, with a particular focus on the parts of the country president Biden will visit in the coming hours.

"There will of course be significant costs associated with this, we don't know them yet, they won't crystallise yet.

"But to be honest, those costs will pay in significance with the benefit of the visit. The benefit to what I hope is going to continue to embed peace on our island, but also indeed the economic benefit, the tourism benefit, the profile benefit, that a US Presidential visit brings."