CONCERNS HAVE BEEN raised about the security threat that dissident republicans may pose when the Queen visits Ireland later this month.

Several experienced members of the gardaí have told the Sunday Independent that the royal visit itinerary is “a nightmare” as they raised concerns about security for the four-day visit.

The paper reports that dissident republicans plan to break into the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin city centre the night before Queen Elizabeth arrives with one senior garda source saying that the extensive travel arrangements during the visit are the result of “naive” thinking.

The Sunday Times (subscription) reports that security services believe that two dissident republican groups, the Real IRA or Oglaigh na hEireann, will try to murder a police officer or detonate a large car bomb before or during the visit .

Gardaí have borrowed two water cannons from the Police Service of Northern Ireland to help police protests, the paper reports.

Gardaí have already conducted interviews with residents along the route which the Queen will travel as part of their security operation.

Dissident republicans have already said that the Queen is “not wanted on Irish soil” and is “wanted for war crimes”.