Cash-strapped PSNI shouldn't face bill of over two million pounds for Good Friday Agreement celebrations - Nesbitt

The UK government cash will also pay for the cost of policing a gala dinner at Hillsborough Castle. But the PSNI say they will be expected to stump up cash for policing other events such as the visit of world leaders to Queen’s University.

Police have previously charged organisers of private events – such as boxing fights – for the cost of the policing operation.

Joe Biden briefly visited Belfast in April ahead of what was described as a three day ‘pilgrimage’ to the Republic of Ireland and his ancestral home in Ballina.

Media reports suggested the total cost of policing the visit could be as much as seven million pounds. However, the government has said that – in line with normal procedures – it will cover £2.7 million of the cost.

PSNI Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson told the News Letter that the government “has agreed to meet costs totalling £2.752 million towards the policing operations in April 2023 for President Biden's visit and the Belfast Good Friday Agreement 25th anniversary gala dinner hosted by the UK Government in Hillsborough Castle. The costs are made up of mutual aid, overtime and non-pay costs but exclude duty time.

“Non-recoverable costs incurred in the policing operations to support all other Belfast Good Friday Agreement commemorative events are estimated at £2.37 million. The Police Service of Northern Ireland will be expected to absorb these costs if no additional Department of Justice funding is forthcoming.”

Ulster Unionist Party MLA Mike Nesbitt, who sits on the Policing Board, said: “If there was an Executive around I’d be asking them to consider the Department of Justice picking up the tab. Because this was a global event which showed NI in the best possible light, with a stellar invitation list. I don’t think it is fair – in principle or in practice – to just leave a bill at the door of the PSNI. Particularly at a time when money is so incredibly tight. The new Chief Constable is doing his best to address all the issues. Not least of morale, and another multi-million pound bill isn’t going to help in that regard at all”.

A TUV spokesperson told said that the government had ‘squandered’ money on the Good Friday Agreement events. “With the Government telling us that it won’t release necessary funding for Northern Ireland unless Unionists sell out on the Protocol, it is instructive that they were able to find millions to squander celebrating the agreement.

“Tellingly, the institutions of that agreement remain in tatters because after there was capitulation to the EU’s Union dismantling Protocol, Unionists realised that the much trumpeted constitutional grantees of the agreement were worthless. Whatever money is spent on bribery or propaganda in the days ahead, grassroots Unionist opposition to returning to the Assembly and serving in a Sinn Fein led executive as Protocol implementers will not diminish”, he said.

The government spending was initially unearthed by Baroness Kate Hoey, in a question to NIO minister Lord Caine. He said: “In line with the HMT Statement of Funding Policy, the UK Government has agreed to meet costs totalling £2.752 million towards the policing operation for President Biden's visit and other dignitaries to Northern Ireland during events to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The budget will be transferred to the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland to transfer to the Police Service of Northern Ireland”.

Although there were no major incidents, the policing operation didn’t pass entirely without controversy. The BBC’s Nolan Show reported that a police document detailing officer deployments for the Biden visit – including mobile phone numbers – was found in the street by a member of the public.

The gala dinner at Hillsborough Castle was attended by a host of national and international dignitaries including former prime ministers from Tony Blair to Boris Johnson – as well as the Clintons.