Last month’s protests have put authorities on alert.
A number of extra precautions are being put in place for Budget Day 2023 as the government and authorities prepare for any potential major protests this year.
Traditionally, peaceful protests take place outside Leinster House on the day of the budget each year. However, since last month’s demonstrations blockaded Oireachtas staff and journalists inside the building, security is set to ramp up as a consequence.
Garda strikes have added extra pressure in the lead up to Budget Day, which takes place on October 10.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) announced recently that their members will not be undertaking voluntary overtime, which means Garda from rural areas around Ireland will travel in to the city centre on the day.
A total of 93 Garda are being requested to redeploy from stations elsewhere in the country and will include gardaí who are public order unit qualified as well as uniformed gardaí.
However, according to the Irish Independent, some may refuse the requests and make themselves unavailable.
Authorities preparing for protests on Budget Day
Last month’s protests outside the Daíl have put authorities on high alert after 13 protesters were arrested from what is believed to be a far-right group.
The protests saw a mock gallows erected which included images of several high-profile politicians. TDs were also harassed by the crowd as they tried to leave the building.
For Budget Day, the entrance to Leinster House will all be blocked off with a “six-foot high” ring of steel, while roads leading up to the building will also be barricaded to prevent similar scenes to last month.
Kildare Street will be barricaded from both ends, from the Shelbourne Hotel to Kildare House, while barriers will also be placed halfway down Molesworth St.
Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said last week that the scenes from last month’s protests “can never be allowed to happen again”.
Speaking on Newstalk’s On The Record programme, Mr Ó Fearghaíl said: “If rot sets in and it’s not arrested, then what happens? It spreads.
“If this particular rot is not dealt with it will inevitably extend and it’s a fear I have and the fear of many of my colleagues have is that we will reach a point where we have some awful events such as happened in Britain with the late Jo Cox and the late David Amess.”
“We can’t go down that road.”
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