Government ministers were told in the aftermath of the February 1995 Lansdowne Road riot by
English hooligans that garda reserve numbers at the stadium were "insufficient" and that pre-game safety information was "not clearly understood or remembered" by the FAI.
The recommendation is outlined in newly-released State papers given to the National Archives of Ireland, which also confirm ministers were told away fans should be limited to a "lower deck" of the stadium to ensure public safety - contradicting current-day calls from Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson for away fans to be moved from their behind-the-goal position to make the stadium less inviting for away teams.
The Lansdowne Road riot infamously occurred during the first half of a friendly game between the Republic of Ireland and England in February 1995.
The game, which Ireland were leading 1-0 after a David Kelly goal, was called off after
just 27 minutes due to violence by English hooligans, against both Irish and legitimate English fans.
More than 20 people were injured when projectiles, including parts of the seating in the
stadium, were thrown by hooligans from the upper deck at Ireland fans in lower seats, while 40 people were arrested.
Many of these hooligans were later confirmed to have been involved in far-right English organisation Combat 18, while the scenes - which led to significant security changes - were immediately condemned by Ireland manager Jack Charlton and England manager Terry Venables.
In an Aide Memoire to cabinet on 4 April, 1995, outlining the findings of the Finlay report into the incident, ministers were told "the garda reserve and public order units in the stadium were insufficient" and that "insufficient meetings were arranged between individual groups of stewards or security men and garda personnel".
The released files also said "some information conveyed in the pre-match meetings between the gardaí and the FAI were not clearly understood or remembered in the absence of written confirmation", and that "information received from the English national criminal intelligence service by the garda siochana was not sufficiently conveyed to officials of the FAI".
The same files also confirm ministers were told the violence was "targeted, planned and
intended"; that "the segregation of English fans was inadequate", and "parts of the stadium to accommodate English fans created difficulties".
As a result, ministers were told the Finlay Report had recommended limiting away fan numbers to less than 10% and to move away fan seats to "a portion of the north end of the lower deck of the east stand".
The location of away fans was subsequently changed and largely continues until today, an issue which has returned to the headlines in recent weeks.
After the Republic of Ireland's last-gasp 3-2 victory against Hungary in November to make the 2026 World Cup play-offs, manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said moving away fans from their current behind-the-goal lower deck position should be considered.
He said: "One issue I have with the Aviva, looking back on and reflecting on the game, both in Portugal and in Hungary, where they put our fans up in the stands as high and far away from the game as possible.
"But the hospitality of the Irish, they give the opponents the best seats in the house.
"So, we might need to think that when we play a game as we could do for a World Cup spot, if we have a penalty shootout and the away fans are behind one of the goals, we need to think about everything to get any advantage in any area for these matches.
"Just reflecting on when we scored the final goal, when Troy (Parrott) scored the 3-2 goal in Hungary, it was like the electricity went off and then you heard the sound from the Irish fans up in the stands.
"But that's a purpose, they do it on purpose. They try to find every advantage. This is what the Irish, even though with all their hospitality, this is what we should do as well."
[Based on documents 2025/124/180 and 2025/124/178]
