Gardai and FAI take part in Euros crisis exercise amid terrorism fears

Euro 2016 venue

Niall O'Connor

Gardaí and officials from the FAI have taken part in crisis training exercises in France ahead of next month's European Championships, the Irish Independent has learned.

Eight senior gardaí will help the French authorities in the policing of Euro 2016 for the duration of Ireland's participation in the finals.

Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald told yesterday's Cabinet meeting two officers will be permanently based in the International Police Coordination Centre at Lognes while the remaining six will be based in the host cities of Paris, Bordeaux and Lille.

A source said their presence was a reflection of the cooperation between Irish and French authorities, "particularly in the face of the continuing terrorist threat".

Separately, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has ordered the redeployment of five embassy staff to Paris as 75,000 Irish fans prepare to travel to France. It has emerged that embassy personnel, gardaí and the FAI took part in "crisis simulation exercise" earlier this month.