Taoiseach warns Ireland is not 'immune from the threat of terrorism'
The Taoiseach, who has been subjected to threats against him personally as well as the family home he shares with his wife and children, said the spectre of terrorism is taken seriously by State security services
Ireland is not immune to the threat of terrorism, the Taoiseach warned yesterday.
Simon Harris said the country should “always be conscious” of the risks of violent extremism and added that Gardaí are monitoring such matters very closely. His comments come amid a spate of threats against elected representatives from extreme groups.
It also follows a report that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has raised the assessed threat level posed from moderate to substantial.
READ MORE: Father and son arrested after two men allegedly stabbed over land dispute
READ MORE: Hospital ignored repeated warnings about corpses left on trolleys leaking fluids on floor - report
The Taoiseach, who has been subjected to threats against him personally as well as the family home he shares with his wife and children, said the spectre of terrorism is taken seriously by State security services.
He added: “Ireland is not immune from the threats we see in other countries. We should never think we are. We’re not immune from the threat of terrorism, domestic or international. But I am confident the Gardaí take these matters very seriously.”
Speaking to reporters at the Tullow Agricultural Show in Co Carlow, Mr Harris refused to confirm the change in security policy.
A report in The Sunday Times stated the increased threat level means an attack is considered likely. Asked if he is willing to introduce tougher legislation on threats against public figures, Mr Harris said: “I am confident that when we look at the laws of the land, that our laws are robust.”
The Taoiseach pledged Gardaí will be supported with any resources they need to enforce those laws, and he added he is “very satisfied” with the work they do to keep people safe.
Asked about his concerns about the campaigning environment for politicians in the run-up to the next election, Mr Harris said: “We need to have a balanced conversation about this – our country hasn’t dramatically changed.
“This is a country full of decent people and our politicians of all political persuasions live in their communities and move among people and are accessible to the public.
“I don’t think we should allow a small-in-number group of people distort who we are as a people. I haven’t detected any significant shift from the people of Ireland right across the country. But of course, it is important to acknowledge we are a country that faces threats.”
Mr Harris added Gardaí will make sure candidates campaign in a safe environment, whenever the election is held. It comes as Tanaiste Micheal Martin also revealed the threat of cyber attacks on Ireland. Mr Martin, also Defence Minister, further warned that Ireland had to collaborate with other nations to protect vital sub-sea data cables off our west coast.
He made his comments when he launched the latest national risk assessment – which details every possible threat to the country, from bad weather to a terror attack.
When asked what he believed were the biggest threats, Mr Martin said: “Cyber security is a key risk. Since the war in Ukraine and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, cyber attacks have increased exponentially.”
Experts say as much as 75 per cent of all cyber attacks in the world originate from Russia – and it’s suspected the May 2021 ransomware onslaught against the HSE came from there. It took weeks for experts to regain control of the HSE computer system – and the Tanaiste admitted the attack was devastating.
He added: “We experienced our own cyber attack on our health service, which basically paralysed our health service for a number of weeks and entailed extraordinary human and financial cost. A number of other public entities, the Technological University in Cork had a cyber attack – that is a very significant concern.”
Ireland has also been warned by experts that sub-sea data cables off our west coast could be vulnerable to attack. Mr Martin said: “On the sub-sea cables, the issue there is more collaboration across like-minded countries and across the European Union, which we do. And it’s also an investment in intelligence. Everyone has an idea it’s all about ships.
“Yes, we need ships on the oceans and we have an issue with recruitment and retention. But the more fundamental issue actually is around collaborating with others and identifying any third actors or people who shouldn’t be in a given zone. And there is huge collaboration.”
He added the Air Corps had two new C295 aeroplanes, that provided better surveillance equipment to monitor our seas. Mr Martin said: “We have invested in two C295 aircraft that have far greater superior capacity than anything we had before.
“And they can cover our exclusive economic zone within a day or two, given the capacities. And I’ve spoken to other military outside of the country who say that the whole area of sub-sea cables is about collaborating with the private sector with other countries.
“It’s about maps, it’s about really having a good capacity to identify anomalies within those cables’ structure emerging band countering those.”
Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
