Some 50 international leaders take part on Thursday in the European Political Community meeting in Dublin, while on Friday the heads of state and government of the 27 European Union (EU) countries meet in an informal Council.

The security operation for the two meetings is the largest in the history of the Irish state, according to the country's police. It was mounted amid growing concern over hybrid attacks, after a wave of hoax bomb threats targeting airlines and media organizations across Europe, with new incidents reported by Irish police on Monday and Tuesday, following the wave of false alerts that emptied thousands of schools in Italy. Ireland has chaired the EU Council since July 1, with a mandate until December 31.