Sinn FΘin councillor Mr Martin Ferris yesterday called for "dialogue, not demonisation", and not revenge, as a response to the attack on the World Trade Centre.
"It is incumbent on the world order to see what injustices provoked such a terrible atrocity and to see what we can all do to deal with it," Mr Ferris said.
During visits to the Lebanon and Syria this year, Mr Ferris said he became aware of the "transparent hatred" towards the West and towards the US. He visited the region in February in an attempt to free up cattle markets for the Irish.
"American Foreign Policy is viewed in the Middle East as one-sided. There's open hatred for the West." Revenge attacks would only create more hatred in the Middle East, Mr Ferris added.
Rejecting the motion put forward at yesterday's Kerry County Council meeting by Senator Dan Kiely for more stringent legislation worldwide and in this country to crack down on terrorism, Mr Ferris said negotiations, not revenge, and not repressive legislation would work as they had done in this country.
"I have lived through a war in this country. Repressive legislation did not solve anything," he said during at the council meeting in which all members expressed shock and revulsion at the atrocities.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, was to be commended for his restraint and Ireland could lead talks and negotiations, Mr Ferris said.
