Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome this Bill which gives effect to the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (1988) and the protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf (1988), signed in Rome on 10 March 1988.

The need for this legislation goes back to 1988. The Minister of State said that it is now being speeded up because of the events of 11 September 2001 and the Madrid bombings. I cannot understand why such important legislation has taken so long to come before the Dáil. The Minister of State said it is now urgent to address a particular gap in Irish law which should be filled as soon as possible. I wholeheartedly agree.

The terrorist attacks in New York and Madrid have made us aware of the major security issues facing us and given us cause to fear a similar attack. At present we hold the EU Presidency and security, therefore, should be at the top of our agenda. We all understand the importance of security. The attacks in New York and Madrid brought us together and caused us to focus more on security issues. A recent measure taken at EU level was the appointment of a top official to spearhead the communications and intelligence area in order to strengthen the fight against international terrorism.

I come from Wexford where there is a major port in Rosslare and where I was last week with our party leader, Deputy Kenny. One can see that the Rosslare authorities concentrate on what is coming through the port, for example, drugs, etc. The issue of terrorist attacks through ports was discussed at a committee meeting which was attended by Deputy Bruton a couple of weeks ago and I raised the issue of the port of Rosslare at that meeting. We do not know what will happen, though hopefully no attack will be made through any Irish port.

It was proposed that security should be heightened in ports such as Rosslare. I am glad the Minister stated that a port security plan is to be put in place because it is important to do so.

In the course of our EU Presidency we will be welcoming President Bush to Ireland. It will be necessary to heighten security for that visit, given recent international events. It is to be hoped that we will not face attack when President Bush is in Ireland and that we will have top level security.

It would be remiss of me not to refer to our coastline given that I live on the coast. I visited Sellafield some months ago. The possibility of an attack on the facility has been referred to in the House on numerous occasions. Such an attack would have major consequences for people living along our coastline from the north-east to the south-east The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, which is an independent institution, has not been allowed into Sellafield to carry out an independent verification of what is taking place there. That is of concern because it makes one wonder what there is to hide. Given the amount of radioactive waste generated at Sellafield and that iodine tablets were distributed to households some years ago, the plant must pose a serious hazard for us. This issue should be at the top of our agenda because, in the context of terrorist attacks, Sellafield is very dangerous and any attack on it would have serious consequences for Ireland. I am aware that the Minister and the Minister of State, who are both from coastal areas, have campaigned on behalf of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland to be allowed to inspect Sellafield.

The purpose of the Bill is to give effect to the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation 1988 and the Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf 1988. The convention and protocol are among a suite of international instruments against terrorism which member states of the United Nations are enjoined by Security Council Resolution 1373 of 28 September 2001 to implement as soon as possible. The terms of the convention and protocol are required to be approved by the Dáil pursuant to Article 29.5.2° of the Constitution and the Bill is required to be enacted before Ireland can be a party to them.

The legislation creates specific offences against the safety of Irish ships and other ships in Irish territorial waters and against fixed platforms on the continental shelf, subject to imprisonment for life on conviction on indictment. It consequently provides, on standard lines, for extra-territorial jurisdiction to cover offences committed outside the State in breach of the convention or protocol, the apprehension, detention and handing over to appropriate authorities of alleged offenders, extradition, bail, avoidance and double jeopardy and such other necessary matters on the model of provisions of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002 which is before the Dáil and makes necessary provision in relation to four other international conventions against terrorism.

Fine Gael fully supports this Bill and believes these measures are long overdue. It is likely that its passage through the Oireachtas has been speeded up in the aftermath of the Madrid atrocities on 11 March and the renewed international focus on the need to crack down on terrorism. It is important that this Bill is being brought forward as Ireland holds the Presidency of the European Union and cannot be seen to be lagging behind its neighbours when it is supposed to be leading them.

The Bill offers Fine Gael the opportunity to spell out its vision of new Irish defence arrangements. In the document, Beyond Neutrality, published by Deputy Gay Mitchell in 2003, it is stated that Fine Gael advocates an EU defence entity in whose development Ireland takes a full and active role and that is based upon five key principles: adherence to the fundamental principles of the UN, a commitment to the vigorous pursuit of the goal of universal nuclear and biological disarmament and a solemn undertaking by the EU defence entity not to use either type of weapon, a commitment to mutual defence and support but with specific opt-in provisions for individual states, a commitment to the provision of peacekeeping and peace-making operations and to the Petersberg Tasks, such as humanitarian aid, search and rescue etc., and respect for the right of other member states to be involved in other military alliances. If Ireland does not contribute to the debate on a common EU security and defence policy, we cannot complain when a policy is unveiled that addresses the concerns and aspirations of other states but not our own.

On the war in Iraq, the Government has spoken out of both sides of its mouth. The Taoiseach does not say he agrees with the war in Iraq, then says he disagrees and then complains about what has happened. Fine Gael opposed the attacks on Iraq. Its proposals were realistic, workable, honest and in stark to contrast to the Government's vague, unclear policy.

Fine Gael welcomes the Bill and hopes it will be implemented before the end of Ireland's EU Presidency. This and other legislation going through the Dáil, together with changes at European level, prove that action is being taken at last to ensure that Europe and the wider world remain a safe place that can be rid of the terrorist threat. I hope there will never be a terrorist threat against this State and that the Bill will help to defend against such a threat in the future.

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