Dublin commuters and international travellers faced an unusual Friday the 13ᵗʰ as the capital entered day two of the largest security operation in the State’s history. Gardaí kept a tight ring around the Docklands and Convention Centre while 50 heads of state attended the European Political Community summit and an informal EU Council meeting. Traffic was funnelled away from North Wall Quay, Samuel Beckett Bridge and several quayside approach roads, and rolling motorcycle escorts repeatedly halted city-centre traffic between 09:00 and 11:00. The knock-on for air travellers was immediate. Garda Traffic warned that the heaviest delays on airport routes would occur from 13:00-20:00, when most delegations were scheduled to depart. Although Dublin Airport kept both terminals fully operational, it urged passengers to add at least one additional hour to their journey and shut the popular landside aircraft-viewing points for the day. Public transport operators also scrambled. Inter-city coach firm Aircoach diverted its flagship Route 700 between the airport and the city, skipped O’Connell Bridge, Leeson Street and other stops, and advised Cork-bound passengers that services would run non-stop from the airport. The Luas Red Line terminated at Connolly Station, and Transport for Ireland published real-time diversions for 46 Dublin Bus routes. While the restrictions were always billed as temporary, they underscored how quickly high-level diplomacy can paralyse local mobility. Logistics companies rerouted same-day deliveries, and multinational employers told staff to work from home. Dublin Chamber of Commerce estimates that a single full-day cordon reduces retail takings in the Docklands by €2-€3 million; hoteliers, however, reported near-100 % occupancy thanks to visiting delegations and media. Gardaí lifted most inner-city barriers shortly after 22:00 once the final motorcades reached Dublin Airport, but warned of residual delays on the M1 and M50 until after midnight. Businesses welcomed the end of the operation yet urged government to develop a standing “major-event mobility plan” so that future summits—Ireland holds the EU presidency again in 2032—cause less disruption.
