Sir, - Recent events in New York have brought into very sharp focus the ultimate cost of lapses in a nation's security. We can now be under no illusion that there are people out there who bear nothing but ill-will towards us or our friends in the United States.
As Ireland is to play a much more prominent role on the UN Security Council, a proper reappraisal of our own security arrangements would be appropriate. Ireland's provision for its own security and defence has long been woefully inadequate.
Our Air Corps does not possess a single squadron of interceptor fighter aircraft. It is possible that a hijacked civil airliner could be flown across Irish air space towards some target, in the UK perhaps, without being seriously challenged by our own Defence Forces. Surely every effort must now be made to ensure that any previous neglect be rectified immediately.
A purchase order for high-performance interceptor fighter aircraft might be a good start. It's time we put our money where our mouth is and ended the waffle about neutrality. - Yours, etc.,
Michael Doheny, Dunmore Road, Waterford.