Gardai and transport gear up for Saturday's Operation Robbie in park

A major security operation, involving more than 500 gardaí and an "enhanced" drug unit, is planned for next Saturday's Robbie Williams concert at Phoenix Park, the largest ever open-air rock concert in Ireland.

A sell-out crowd of 135,000 is expected for the event, for which access to the park will be prohibited to traffic for most of the weekend.

Supt Michael Roche from Banchardstown station, who is in charge of security for the event, advised concertgoers to plan their route, urging them to use public transport if possible.

He said 18 sergeants and 111 gardaí had been allocated to traffic management alone, with a further 45 sergeants and 350 gardaí devoted to policing access points.

The Garda dog unit will be available to assist in drug searches, alongside an enhanced drug unit.

However, said Supt Roche, "We don't foresee great problems in that regard." He noted there were no arrests at the last major event at the park, the "O2" concert last month.

Phoenix Park was used last year for the World Cup homecoming of the Republic's soccer team, which saw 100,000 attend. It last hosted a major rock concert in 1991 when the Hothouse Flowers played there.

Saturday's event is said to feature "probably the biggest stage ever in Ireland", a platform measuring 150 metres by 50 metres in the corner of the 50-acre Whitefields concert site.

Six giant video screens weighing 30 tonnes in total are being erected, along with 50,000 moving stage lights.

Gates will open at 1 p.m., and the first warm-up act begins at 3 p.m. Robbie Williams is due to hit the stage at 8.30 p.m. and finish about two hours later.

Dublin Bus is running a shuttle service from the city centre, leaving George's Quay and stopping at Parkgate Street. Those attending the concert will not be permitted to use the North Circular Road gate or the Ashtown gate.

There are no car-parking facilities in the park. Concertgoers are being directed instead to Castlenock College, Somerton Road, and the Irish Kennel Club, Cloghran, from which a park-and-ride service is operating.

All gates into the park will close to traffic at 11 pm on Friday and will remain so until Sunday morning.

Access will be available, however, to Dublin Zoo, Garda Headquarters, Áras an Uachtaráin and other premises through the North Circular Road gate.

Persons going to St Mary's Hospital and the Cara Cheshire Home can gain access through the Knockmaroon gate.

All concertgoers will be searched at entry points, and anyone carrying alcohol or potential weapons will have such items confiscated.

Alcohol will be available inside the concert venue from licensed bars.

Full details of the Garda's concert management plan is available at www.garda.ie