Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
675. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice if she was aware that prior to the publication of the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) in June 2023, Spanish authorities would categorise the Catalan independence movement as an ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorist group (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39653/23]
View answer676. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice if she is in agreement with Europol's categorisation of the non-violent Catalan independence movement as an ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorist group, in the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) in June 2023 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39654/23]
View answer677. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice what oversight procedures and protocols the EU council of Justice Ministers has in place to ensure the veracity of the qualitative and quantitative data provided by member states on which reports such as the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) are based (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39655/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 675 to 677, inclusive, together.
Europol’s annual European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) provides an overview of the terrorism landscape in the EU in a given year and contributes to efforts to counter what continues to be a significant threat to the security of Member States.
As the 2023 Report referred to by the Deputy notes, the TE-SAT is prepared by experts at Europol and is based on information provided and verified by Member States and by Europol’s partners. As further noted, while the Report's primary focus is terrorism, specific violent extremist acts and activities, where relevant and available and as reported by Member States, are also presented for contextualisation and to provide a more comprehensive picture of the terrorism situation. More generally the Report reflects on wider developments that have affected the EU terrorism landscape, or may affect it in the future.
In terms of oversight, as set out in the Report, the TE-SAT is produced by Europol in consultation with the TE-SAT Advisory Board which is made up of representatives of the past, present and future Presidencies of the Council of the EU (the ‘troika’), along with permanent members: representatives from France and Spain, the EU Commission (DG HOME), the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (EU INTCEN), the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), the office of the EU Counter Terrorism Coordinator (EU CTC), and Europol.
I was not aware of the contents of the Report prior to it being published in June.
The Deputy will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for me to seek to evaluate the material in the Report as it relates to the internal situation in another Member State.
