Navan streets shut down as taoiseach arrives

Navan town centre is in lockdown tonight as the Taoiseach Enda Kenny attends a Fine Gael meeting in the Newgrange Hotel.

Streets around the hotel are cordoned off as a Fine Gael regional meeting – one of a number being held around the country – takes place in the hotel.

Last night, a water charges protestor had to be removed from the bonnet of the Taoiseach's car as he attended a similar meeting in Sligo, and Garda chiefs in Meath were obviously adamant that that would not happen in Navan tonight.

Barricades were erected on Church Hill, Ludlow Street and Bridge Street, with traffic diversions on Market Square and Timmons Hill, as Fine Gael public representatives and members from Meath and surrounding counties waited for the Taoiseach in the hotel.

Some 40 uniformed gardai – including the armed unit and the traffic corp – are on standby, as well as a number of plain clothes gardai. Members of the public seeking to attend other functions in the hotel and attend local restaurants had to make their way through the garda barricades.

There is massive increase in security around cabinet members since Saturday's incident in Dublin involving Tanaiste Joan Burton.

However, gardai outnumbered the 40 or so protestors chanting on Church Hill and the eight on Bridge Street as the Taoiseach arrived. His car was whisked into the underground car park at the Newgrange Hotel and he did not encounter the protestors on Church Hill, having passed through the smaller Bridge Street gathering.

Among those using a loudspeaker at the protest was Workers Party member, Seamus McDonagh.

The streets are expected to remain closed for some hours.