Madam, - Considering the changing nature of territorial and global security, I have for some time shared Aoibheann Wall's concerns (December 13th) about Ireland's apparent inability to protect her airspace.
I have in the past contacted the Air Corps and Department of Defence to ask why this is so, but never received so much as an acknowledgement.
Ireland occupies a strategic location on Europe's western periphery, and as Ms Wall points out, is directly under the flightpath of thousands of commercial and military flights annually. This alone should be sufficient reason to have the capability to intercept and escort disabled or damaged civilian aircraft to Irish airports, for example, should the need ever arise. There is also the question of rogue or unidentified aircraft.
Can complacency and a false sense of security really be afforded considering Ireland's participation in the "coalition of the willing" (namely the refuelling service at Shannon for Iraq-bound military aircraft) and considering the proximity of Sellafield to the largest concentration of the Irish population?
Perhaps the Minister for Defence could clarify how the Air Corps can fulfil its duty in current circumstances. - Yours, etc.
NIALL O'DONOGHUE, Narva, Finland.