Mr. Dermot Woods:

It might be helpful if I respond to that. I would assess that in the vast of cases those people who pose a threat to the security of the State are likely committing a serious offence. Essentially, these powers are targeted at terrorist organisations or people who would be providing support or other services to terrorist organisations and, largely speaking, they would be doing so in committing a serious offence. There may be circumstances where persons would be providing legitimate financial services but for a terrorist purpose. It may be difficult immediately in terms of the evidence available to the authorities to identify the criminal offence but they would have intelligence information perhaps from other agencies or from other sources or investigations that support or succour would be in the course of being provided. Those actions would of themselves be a threat to the security of the State. However, the Deputy is quite right that in the vast majority of cases, they would already be committing a criminal offence, such as a firearms or explosive offence.