On 19 March, I chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union, at which a draft declaration on combating terrorism was agreed and forwarded for consideration at today's extraordinary meeting of the European Council. The draft declaration contains a range of measures aimed at enhancing member states' responses at Union level to the terrorist threat arising from the Madrid bombings.
Domestically, I am informed that the Garda Síochána has excellent lines of communication and co-operation with police forces and security services in the European Union, which are used on an ongoing basis and in response to particular events, including the Madrid bombings.
I am further informed that such ongoing sharing of intelligence enables the Garda Síochána to put in place a rapid operational response where circumstances so warrant.