Sinn Fein TDs signalled their intention to oppose the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill, which was introduced in the Dáil on Tuesday by the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell.
The Bill implements a range of measures agreed by the EU and United Nations, providing for increased penalties for those convicted of membership of an illegal organisation.
Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) argued that the Bill was totally incompatible with civil rights, with a definition of terrorism which could mean "that every patriot, who fought for Irish freedom and resisted British rule by peaceful means or in arms was engaged in terrorist activity."
He claimed that the Government was in breach of its commitment under the Belfast Agreement to undertake a wide-ranging review of the Offences Against the State Acts.
"A review was carried out, but it was anything but wide-ranging. There was minimal public consultation and no public hearings," Mr Ó Caoláin said. The use of the term "terror" in Ireland began in 1920, when it was most often applied to the British state forces.
"Yet under this Bill the actions of State forces are effectively excluded from the definition of terrorist activity. The campaign of the civil rights movement in the North in the 1960s was terrorist under this definition, as are a whole range of offences which courts in this jurisdiction ruled as political during the 1970s and 1980s, and, as a result, refused to extradite many people to the six counties or Britain."
Mr Martin Ferris (SF, Kerry North) said that while the tragedy and wrongness of 9/11 should not be forgotten, they still needed to ask: "Why do we need to railroad legislation through this parliament in response to that event?"
