The Minister for Defence, Michael Smith, has told the Dáil that international terrorists do not pose a threat to Ireland.
He was responding to a question from John Gormley of the Green Party, who asked what troops stationed at Shannon would do in the event of an attack by al Qaeda.
The Minister told Aengus Ó Snodaigh of Sinn Féin that the extra weekly cost of Irish soldiers guarding Shannon was €40,000 in allowances.
No discussions: Ahern
Earlier today the Taoiseach told the Dáil that he has had no discussions directly or indirectly, officially or unofficially, with the US administration about the continued use of Shannon in the event of a unilateral attack on Iraq.
Bertie Ahern told the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, that the Government stood with the UN Security Council, and would do nothing to undermine it.
He said he believed that the correct thing to do was to have a further resolution before any action was taken. The Taoiseach added that he still believed war could be avoided.
Later Mr Ahern told the Green Party leader, Trevor Sargent, that the only discussions he had had were with US Ambassador, Richard Haass, but that the question of what would happen if there was unilateral action by the US, was not raised.
He said American investment in Ireland should not be the sole consideration in deciding policy, but it should be borne in mind.
