Ray Butler (Meath West, Fine Gael)

It concerns me greatly that a pipe bomb was found in my home town of Trim two weeks ago. The bomb detonated and caused some damage to the Wellington monument and to nearby houses. Is the Minister happy with the security measures being put in place for the visits of Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama given the rise in this type of criminal activity in recent weeks and, more to the point, following the assassination of Osama bin Laden at the weekend? I read that Garda and Army intelligence officers are concerned that activists, currently keeping a low profile in the UK and Europe, could come here to take advantage of US President, Barack Obama's, visit to launch an attack in retaliation for the assassination.

Osama bin Laden is dead but al-Qaeda is not and there may be a heightened possibility of retaliation on the UK and the USA. With visits to Ireland in less than three weeks by the two heads of state of these countries taking place within hours of each other I wish to be assured that security has been stepped up to take the weekend's events into account.

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