Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not going to answer the question for An Garda Síochána which is the lead organisation in terms of security within the State. When it needs assistance in performing its role, it asks for it and gets it from the Defence Forces. However, the task the Defence Forces are asked to perform by An Garda Síochána is managed operationally by the senior officer of the Defence Forces on site. That is my understanding of how it works. The duty of making the actual request and overall responsibility lie with An Garda Síochána.

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