The vehicles will be used to ferry prime ministers and other VIPs to high profile meetings around Ireland from next month
Some of the dozens of luxury vehicles procured by Ireland for the EU presidency. (Image: Irish Mirror)
These are some of the almost 100 luxury vehicles that Ireland has procured for the upcoming EU presidency – at a cost of more than €6 million.
The limousines – including Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMWs – as well as executive minivans were all photographed at Farmleigh in Dublin’s Phoenix Park in recent days.
They are set to be used to ferry prime ministers, diplomats and other VIPs around Ireland for high level meetings during Ireland’s six month presidency that starts on July 1.
As part of the preparations for the high profile and high risk presidency, Ireland earlier this year decided to bring in some 96 top of the range vehicles – at a cost of some €6.5 million.
Some of the dozens of luxury vehicles procured by Ireland for the EU presidency.(Image: Irish Mirror)
The contract includes 40 executive cars and 44 minivans – as well as the hiring 12 armoured limousines to be used to protect high risk VIPs.
The cost for the hiring of the armoured vehicles is around €1 million – while the tax payer is forking out €5.5 million for the normal limousines and minivans.
The armoured vehicles are to be hired for November when a number high profile summits and ministerial-level meetings are due to take place.
They were photographed in Dublin’s Farmleigh over the weekend.(Image: Irish Mirror)
They will be driven by specially-trained armed Garda detectives.
The other, non armoured, vehicles will be driven by civilian chauffeurs. The multi million euro contract for the cars is just a fraction of the money the state is spending for the presidency.
Ireland is expected to fork out around €300 million for the six month term.
A huge portion of that has been earmarked for policing – with around €125 million set aside for vital garda overtime during the presidency.
Gardai will have to work overtime and days off to cope with the massive demands on the force during the term – on top of normal policing duties.
And the limousines are not the only vehicles that have been brought in for the presidency.
Gardai have bought two of these €500,000 Stoof armoured vehicles for the Emergency Response Unit.
The German-made Stoof Armoured Tactical Truck that has now been delivered to the Garda for use by the elite Emergency Response Unit (Image: irish Mirror)
And the force has also bought two Italian-made water cannon – at a cost of some €1.5 million.
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