Special Detective Unit
| Irish: Aonad Speisialta Bleachtaireachta | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 11 July 1921 as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Ireland |
| Headquarters |
Harcourt Street, Dublin (D2) 53°20′03.5″N 6°15′50.3″W / 53.334306°N 6.263972°W |
| Employees | Undisclosed ~ 300 |
| Annual budget | Undisclosed (part of Garda Síochána budget, €1.34 billion in 2014) |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent agency |
Crime & Security Branch Garda Síochána
|
| Website | Official website |
The Special Detective Unit (SDU) (Irish: Aonad Speisialta Bleachtaireachta) is the main domestic security agency of the Garda Síochána, the national police force of Ireland, under the aegis of the Crime & Security Branch (CSB). It is the primary counter-terrorism and counter-espionage investigative unit in the country. The Special Detective Unit superseded the Special Branch (which they are still commonly referred to as), which itself replaced the older Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which was founded in 1921. They work in conjunction with the Defence Forces Directorate of Military Intelligence (G2) – Ireland's national intelligence service – on internal matters. The unit's headquarters are based in Harcourt Street, Dublin City.
The Emergency Response Unit (ERU), a specialist armed tactical unit, is a division of the SDU.
The responsibilities of the Garda Síochána Special Detective Unit include;
SDU bodyguards accompany the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins on official visits in the Republic of Ireland and internationally, and the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny is protected by a Close Protection detail from the SDU. Full-time armed protection and transport is afforded to; the Tánaiste, Minister for Justice and Equality, Attorney General, Chief Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions and Garda Commissioner. All government ministers and former Presidents and Taoisigh are provided with armed protection and transport when their security is deemed under threat, otherwise it is reserved for official state occasions.
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