GARDAÍ providing security for Taoiseach Brian Cowen are being forced to enlist support from local units as appearances by the Taoiseach have increasingly been met by protests that have turned ugly.

Senior garda management are understood to be concerned by several recent incidents in which Cowen was surrounded by angry protestors, with his garda minders heavily outnumbered.

It is understood Cowen is resisting taking on extra garda bodyguards because of the negative message it sends out.

As a compromise, local management have been ordered to have extra uniformed gardaí present at each event attended by the Taoiseach.

At present, Cowen's security includes a garda driver and two detectives in a separate escort car. Depending on the public appearance, extra officers are called in to provide security.

There is also a 24/7 garda presence at the Taoiseach's house in Co Offaly with up to three uniformed gardaí present.

A garda source said: "Members of government don't want a lot of gardaí around them. The day hasn't come in this county where our politicians need to be surrounded by gardaí.

"Security is tapered to what each public appearance by the Taoiseach demands. There has been increased call for local units to assist in recent months because of planned protests."

There are no plans at present to increase Cowen's level of personal security but this is kept under review.

In recent months, local units have increasingly been enlisted to provide security because of protests, some of which have become violent.

The most volatile of these was at the Ploughing Championships 10 days ago in Athy, Co Kildare. Cowen was subjected to personal verbal abuse by a small section of the 60,000 strong crowd.

As he was making his way to visit some of the trade stands, his group was surrounded by about 15 anti-Lisbon campaigners carrying placards shouting "No means no". Others hurled personal abuse.

There was some scuffling as gardaí removed one man who had blocked the Taoiseach's path shouting anti-Lisbon slogans. Cowen left the marquee by a side entrance, losing the protesters. But as he was leaving the site, a small group surrounded his car and there was some jeering.

There were similar scenes at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone on 14 September. Angry farmers stormed the barricades and Irish Farmers' Association Connacht vice-president Michael Silke was knocked down by gardaí as he broke through the barricade.

Silke said the farmers had made their point with the protest, which came after a series of budget cutbacks in the agricultural sector.

Cowen had another run-in with farmers on 23 July when angry agricultural workers used megaphones, booing and the banging of sticks to disrupt the Taoiseach's address at the opening of a dual carriageway.