Galway Gardaí on high alert for Presidential visit

Gardaí in Galway are on high alert for a visit to the West from the US President next month.

And while there has been no confirmation of dates yet, garda planning for a mid-April arrival is in full swing.

Cases at Derrynea District Court’s April sitting are being kept to a minimum as it is expected that gardaí will be otherwise detained, a sitting of the court heard this week.

Sergeant Damien Prendergast told Judge Mary Fahy that cases were being put out to May as it was anticipated there would be a “potential visit” from Joe Biden.

“I have been instructed to keep April free as there is a possible presidential visit,” said Sgt Prendergast.

The Connacht Tribune has learned that Galway gardaí are preparing for the visit to take place the week after Easter, with Derrynea Court due to sit on April 18.

The President’s itinerary is being kept under wraps, but a visit to his ancestral home in Co Mayo is highly likely – and the high degree of security required for such a visit is well underway.

It is understood that while there has been no indication that Galway will be on Mr Biden’s schedule, the county’s gardaí would likely be required to bolster security in the neighbouring county.

Judge Fahy, meanwhile, expressed concern about putting court cases back as a result.

“We’re then landed with a huge, big, long list then,” she said.

The US President’s visit was confirmed earlier this month. Mr Biden is expected to spend five days in the country, travelling north during the visit to mark 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

A Galway Garda spokesperson told the Tribune they were not in a position to confirm any details of their role at this point, nor could they indicate if the visit would take in any part of Galway.

“It’s very much an internal matter for the moment,” they said.