Workers Party Dublin Central candidate Cllr. Éilis Ryan has said that the involvement of NATO, the United States and other military forces in anti-terror training at the Templemore Garda training college in Co. Tipperary will only increase Ireland’s potential exposure to terrorism.
“Cllr. Ryan was reacting to reports in today’s (Thursday) Irish Independent that NATO-funded anti-terrorist exercises are to be held in Templemore which will involve military and Special Forces from 24 countries including the United States.
“If the recent completely unjustifiable and deplorable terrorist attacks in Paris and elsewhere have taught us anything”, said Cllr. Ryan, “it is that there is no ring of steel that can protect citizens from terrorist attacks. While this does not justify a failure to act it does suggest that the first step in combating attacks should be prevention”
The Workers’ Party candidate said that by entangling Ireland deeper into NATO the Irish government was increasing the risk of terrorist attacks in Ireland. “Ireland has long been respected for its neutrality and because of its lack of a colonial past or direct involvement in foreign wars.”
“The more we move towards NATO involvement the more we are seen as a target for terror. Thus the ongoing throughput of US troops at Shannon and now this NATO led terror exercise in Templemore is putting Ireland firmly in the sights of the terrorists while at the same time supporting an escalation of war and poverty in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries” said Cllr Ryan.