Security is to be stepped up to protect dozens of British and Irish politicians gathering in County Donegal later this month following recent dissident attacks.
The British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Bipa), which includes senior TDs, MPs and members of the House of Lords, is meeting for three days at a lakeside hotel near the border.
Bipa co-chairman Niall Blaney confirmed tonight that security will be increased following the murder of two soldiers and a police officer in Northern Ireland by dissident republican terrorists since last Saturday night.
“There are immediate concerns relating to security matters,” Mr Blaney said.
Mr Blaney, a Fianna Fáil TD for Donegal North East, said he discussed the issue with Bipa co-chair, former Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain, who will also be attending the high-level political forum.
“There is concern about recent events and we must ensure security is stepped up,” added Mr Blaney.
The 38th plenary conference of Bipa is taking place in the Solis Lough Eske Castle Hotel near Donegal town from March 29th-31st.
Parliamentarians will be attending from Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.
Bipa, formerly the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, was established in 1990 as a link between Westminster and Dublin.
It originally had 25 British and 25 Irish members drawn from the upper and lower houses of both Parliaments.
In recent years membership of the body has been extended, with representatives from the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Parliament, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
PA