The Government granted permission to over 260 foreign security personnel to carry guns within the State in the last two years. The issue of foreign security services carrying weapons has come under scrutiny lately after it emerged armed Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) personnel had escorted Garda Commissioner Drew Harris south of the Border. Last week, the Department of Justice confirmed an agreement with the UK authorities has been in place since 2013 which allows certain PSNI officers to carry weapons in the Republic and certain gardaí carry weapons in Northern Ireland. In 2018, 134 licences were granted by the Department of Justice to foreign police officers and bodyguards to carry a gun. They were granted licences for the purposes of protecting “certain persons such as visiting dignitaries and others, when travelling to this State,” Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said.

Source: The Irish Times April 17, 2019 00:56 UTC