Terror fear claims are alarmist, says O’Dea

DEFENCE Minister Willie O’Dea yesterday dismissed as “alarmist” claims by chief fire officers that our emergency services could not cope with a London-style terrorist attack.

The minister said all intelligence shows that the risk of terrorist attack on Ireland is quite low and we have a first-class security system to deter any terrorist attack.

He was responding to the Chief Fire Officers Association chairman Tony Gleeson who said the Irish fire service has not been given a defined role like their London counterparts for terrorist attacks.