Armed gardaí, dog units and checkpoints to tackle Dublin crime

The extra funding comes after high-profile attacks in Dublin city centre over the summer

Additional armed gardaí (Irish police) and specialist units are to be deployed in Dublin as part of a €10m (£8.5m) overtime payment from the Irish government for additional policing in the city centre.

It comes after a string of serious attacks in the Irish capital, including an assault which left an American tourist in a coma last month.

The funding will allow for more than 16,500 additional policing hours each month, gardaí have said.

There will also be an enhanced garda presence at strategic locations in the city, such as main thoroughfares and the Liffey Boardwalk.

Specialist units will be deployed in the city centre to enhance police visibility

The money is part of a package announced in July by Justice Minister Helen McEntee to increase gardaí visibility in the city.

The focus of Operation Citizen will be on tackling street-level drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and the seizure of alcohol.

About 20% of the funding will be put towards providing additional public order capacity on a daily basis.

As well as uniformed gardaí, specialist units such as the Garda Air Support Unit, the Garda Mounted Unit, the Garda Dog Unit, Regional Armed Response Units, and Road Policing Units will be deployed to enhance police visibility.

There will also be planned "days of high impact visibility" involving checkpoints, execution of warrants, intelligence-led arrests and immigration checks.

'Reassure the citizens'

Assistant CommissionerAngela Willis said an enhanced visible garda presence was central to the operation.

"The overall objective of our activity is to reassure the citizens, visitors and the business community that Dublin is a safe place in which to live, visit, and work," she said.

On Monday, Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Jim O'Callaghan described parts of the city as unsafe after a man was attacked on one of Dublin's busiest streets over the weekend.

The man in his 30s was taken to St James' Hospital for non-life threatening injuries after he was stabbed on Grafton Street on Sunday.