Germany's top security official has called on the Taoiseach to bring together the European Union's interior ministers to discuss repercussions of the Madrid bombings "as quickly as possible".
Speaking after an emergency meeting of German security officials, Interior Minister Otto Schily called Mr Ahern, in his role as current EU president, to bring the union's interior ministers together to discuss and co-ordinate security measures.
"It is necessary that we discuss this in European context," Mr Schily told reporters in Berlin.
"I believe we need a conference of (EU) interior ministers as quickly as possible - next week, if possible."