Plea to strengthen anti-terror powers

New legislation must be introduced to strengthen the state’s ability to respond to a terrorist threat, it was urged today.

Billy Timmins, a Fine Gael TD, warned the country must not become a platform for people to plan assaults on other countries.

“In the wake of the awful events in London it is vital that this state takes every measure to ensure it is never used as an attack platform by extremists for assaults on other countries, or on Ireland itself,” said Mr Timmins, who worked as an Army Officer with the UN in Lebanon and Cyprus.

Mr Timmins said al Qaida represented a threat to all western states and Ireland must take the necessary measures to address any threats which may arise.

“We must ensure that our airports and ports do not become launching pads for attacks on our neighbours,” he said.

The amount of authority the Defence Minister Willie O’Dea has been given in his position as chairman of the Task Force on Emergency Planning is unclear, the TD added.

“It seems the minister does not have the power to direct many of the components of this group, and that the state’s emergency response is split between a large number of disparate Government departments, state agencies and sub-groups,” Mr Timmins said.

“The Government must now ensure that our policy in dealing with the terrorist threat is underpinned by legislation and the necessary funding.”

Mr Timmins aid the role of the Task Force should be backed up in legislation and an single emergency planning body should be created that would report to the Taoiseach.

“This was one of the key recommendations in a report by the Emergency Planning Society presented to Government in 2003, but which has never been acted upon,” he said.

Mr Timmins said the capabilities of the country’s security personnel in gathering intelligence should be increased and the controls on the entry and exit to the country should be strengthened.