State’s reputation ‘on the line’ during Trump visit

Ireland’s reputation will be “on the line” when Donald Trump arrives, according to a former assistant garda commissioner who warned that even a minor security breach could draw intense scrutiny.

Pat Leahy, speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, said An Garda Síochána had engaged with the US Secret Service and US Embassy staff for months ahead of the visit. But high-profile trips do not always allow much advance notice, and information may remain restricted until late in the planning process.

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Wherever you have gardaí, you’ll have Secret Service.

“Wherever you have gardaí, you’ll have Secret Service,” Leahy said. He described the operation as potentially more demanding than security for a major concert because the planning window can be shorter. Officers will assess threats across the wider geopolitical environment, extending their focus from the immediate venue to the surrounding village in County Clare.

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Something small, some minor breach of security and the reputation of the State is up for grabs.

Trump will arrive in Dublin on Saturday and meet President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin. He will also meet Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park before travelling to his resort in Doonbeg, where he is due to attend the Irish Open golf tournament, which concludes on Sunday.

Leahy said Doonbeg presents a different challenge from Dublin. Security is expected to operate in concentric circles, becoming tighter near the president. “Something small, some minor breach of security and the reputation of the State is up for grabs,” he said, adding that security in Doonbeg would need to be “quite heavy.”

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And it needs to be because the reputation of the State is on the line for this particular business.