This is a wake-up call to political masters

IN yesterday’s editorial, this newspaper emphasised the importance of ensuring that all members of An Garda Síochána are properly trained to deal with a major terrorist incident. The attacks on Manchester and London should serve as a wake-up call to our political masters.

Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan sensibly cautioned that we are not immune to the threat posed by Islamist extremists. But as the Irish Daily Mail also pointed out, Mr Flanagan’s claim that our national police force is ready to deal with such a situation is less persuasive.

Now it emerges that some of those responsible for Saturday’s carnage spent time in this country. Potentially even more worrying is the fact that one of the individuals in question was based in Rathmines, a suburb that not only has a largely transient population but is also within a very short distance of Dublin city centre.

Nobody is suggesting that there was a failure by gardaí to monitor this man. It is perfectly possible that he easily blended into the cosmopolitan community of his adopted locale. But Enda Kenny, speaking in Chicago, hit the nail on the head when he referred to the ‘very extensive issuing of visas’ to non-European nationals who are in relationships with EU citizens.

The simple fact of the matter is that these provisions exist under treaties that Ireland has signed up to down through the years. At the very least, there now needs to be an intensively co-ordinated response to this threat right across all member states.

This is not just an issue for Britain or mainland Europe. To put it in the plainest terms, we are all in this together – regardless of the knock-on effects of Brexit.

If any semblance of normal life in Europe is to continue, including free travel, there has to be a plan in place. It goes without saying that our security forces need adequate resources to do their job.

Even more importantly, though, there must be co-operation with their counterparts both in Britain and further afield.

If our leaders choose to ignore the warnings of Michael Murphy, they will do so at all our peril. Mr Murphy, a former intelligence officer with the Defence Forces, insists there is an urgency in recognising that there are radicalised individuals in our midst who are prepared to commit murder.

It goes without saying that little is guaranteed in these dangerous times. But the Government must do its utmost to ensure that we remain safe from attack.

Meanwhile, there is also a mutual responsibility on us and our EU cousins to do likewise. Now more than ever, we must stand shoulder to shoulder.