Security details: More than 600 gardaí and members of the Defence Forces will take part in the security and ceremonial aspects of the funeral today of former taoiseach Charles Haughey.
Gardaí will conduct a major traffic and crowd control operation around the northeast suburbs of Dublin from Donnycarney, where Mr Haughey's funeral Mass takes place, to St Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton, for his burial.
Garda sources said that given the presence of President Mary McAleese, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Ministers, Ministers of State and other VIPs, a major security operation will be staged. Gardaí from the DMR North division have been posted as a security precaution at Donnycarney church since Monday morning when Mr Haughey died.
There was a major Garda presence on the ground around the church and approaching roads yesterday as thousands arrived to pay their last respects. This presence will be greatly increased for this morning's funeral Mass and along the journey to Sutton afterwards. The Garda Traffic Corps will be on duty and the Garda helicopter will be on standby to monitor events on the ground and assist their colleagues in alleviating any traffic and crowd congestion that may arise.
Gardaí have warned of major traffic restrictions around the route taken by the cortege. The route is: Donnycarney Church, Malahide Road, Artane Roundabout, Malahide Road, Tonlegee Road, Kilbarrack Road, Dublin Road, Sutton Cross, Greenfield Road, Carrickbrack Road, St Fintan's Cemetery.
Members of a number of other Garda specialists will also be in place as a security precaution, including those attached to the Emergency Response Unit and Special Detective Unit. Up to 300 gardaí will be involved in the entire operation.
Yesterday morning, a military pallbearer party drawn from the 2nd Field Military Police Company, Cathal Brugha Barracks, draped the national colours on Mr Haughey's coffin. They then carried the coffin from his home, Abbeville, to a hearse. The hearse was then escorted to Donnycarney by motorcycle riders drawn from the 2nd Cavalry Squadron, Cathal Brugha Barracks. On arrival at the church, the Defence Force pallbearers brought the coffin inside.
This morning, the military pallbearers will take the coffin from the church to the waiting hearse after Mass is concelebrated.
A number of Defence Force parties will then take their place in the cortege to Sutton. These include the Defence Forces Band, cadets from the 81st Cadet School, an Infantry Company drawn from the 2nd Eastern Brigade and the Naval Service. The 65th Reserve Battalion, formerly the 7th Infantry Battalion FCA, will also take part in the cortege. Mr Haughey served as a platoon commander in the Artane Centre of the North County Dublin Battalion from 1946 to 1957. A guard of honour drawn from all three branches of the Defence Forces - the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service - will form at the cemetery entrance in Sutton.
The national colours will then be taken from Mr Haughey's coffin and presented to his wife, Maureen. A firing party drawn from the Naval Service will then fire three volleys over the grave.
