A major security operation is under way at Dublin Castle, the main venue for meetings during the EU presidency, as Ireland prepares to take over the European Union's executive role on New Year's Day.
Gardaí yesterday sealed off the upper yard of the site, which forms part of a "secure location" to be used for EU Commission and Ministerial meetings over the next six months.
Unaccredited personnel will be denied entry to the area, which includes the Castle's State Apartments and Conference Centre, and will host the first major meeting of the presidency on January 6th, when the President of the Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, and his team of Commissioners arrive.
Permanent security booths, fitted with electronic detection devices for screening bags and equipment, have been erected at all entry points. A number of organisations which had offices in the area, including the Forum on Europe and Moriarty tribunal, have been relocated for the duration of the presidency.
The security operation begins ahead of an opening ceremony on Thursday to be attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, members of the diplomatic corps and invited guests.
While security for the presidency is due to run into millions of euro - with an extra €7.5 million in Garda overtime allocated in the Estimates - the overall cost has been dramatically reduced by a decision to hold the presidency's two major summits in Brussels.
It is estimated the March and June summits would have cost the Government about €30 million in security alone had they been held in the Republic. Ireland will continue to have an input into the events, however, with members of An Bord Bia due to travel to Brussels to advise on menus for diplomatic dinners.
Some 4,000 meetings are being chaired by Ireland during the six-month presidency, but only 200 of these are being held in the Republic, with 25 at ministerial level. A total of 45 venues are to host events, both formal and informal, including Farmleigh House in Dublin, where EU leaders will dine on the evening of May 1st to mark the accession of ten new member-states.
The event, the only one in the Republic to which heads of state have been invited, will run in tandem with a programme of public events, including a fireworks show, a pop concert and a food and trade fair in Dublin. Under a planned "Day of Welcomes", ten cities and towns - Bray, Cork, Drogheda, Galway, Kilkenny, Killarney, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford - will also host celebratory events for the accession states.
Dublin Castle has been refitted to cater for hundreds of reporters and delegates. The upstairs George's Hall has been kitted out as a press centre, while 200 workstations are being provided in a converted social welfare office on Werburgh Street, within the security cordon.
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