One of Ireland's foremost Islamic clerics wrote to the Department of the Taoiseach earlier this year, acknowledging the need to confront religious extremism here.
In a letter outlining his views on Government plans to establish a structure to allow ongoing dialogue with religious communities, Sheikh Hussein Halawa, imam of the Islamic Cultural Centre, stated that "living together is not always easy".
"Religion harnesses deep emotions, which sometimes can be expressed in the wrong way," he wrote. But this can be "uprooted and prevented" through dialogue based on solid foundations.
These foundations include tolerance, confronting extremism, and practising and respecting freedom within the limits of the law. They should also work to prevent disagreement leading to conflict, and recognise "that all of us at times fall short of the ideas of our own traditions", he stated.
In the letter, dated February 11th, 2005 - five months before the first London bombings in which over 50 people died - Sheikh Halawa wrote that Ireland has become a pluralistic society in which people of different faiths and beliefs live side by side.
"The necessity of dialogue emerges from the vital importance of coexistence that can be accomplished on a solid foundation of mutual respect, openness and trust," he stated. "... Everyone should have the opportunity to live their faith with integrity and allow others to do so too."
Dialogue plays an important role when it comes to issues of mutual interest, Sheikh Halawa wrote. One example was when representatives of the Islamic faith were invited to the Dáil to express the Islamic view regarding abortion, he concludes.
Sheikh Halawa was responding to a letter from the secretary general of the Department of the Taoiseach, Dermot McCarthy. Sent last January to religious leaders, it sought their views on establishing regular dialogue with the churches, faith communities and non-confessional organisations.
In the letter, Mr McCarthy said it was envisaged this "structured dialogue . . . would not displace the existing and ongoing consultation and dialogue with various civil authorities in respect of their specific functional responsibility".
"However, it is envisaged that such dialogue would, in principle, be capable of addressing any matter of mutual interest or concern," he added.
Among the other recipients of letters on the subject were Dr Diarmuid Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Seán Brady, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, and Most Reverend John Neill, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.
In his response, Dr Brady said the Catholic church is "committed to the promotion of religious freedom. To this end, we would wish to see the opportunities and structures for dialogue being made available for all churches, faith communities and non-confessional organisations on the same basis."
He also expressed the hope that such structures would allow for occasional joint meetings with all or some of these groups on issues of mutual concern.