The threat posed by Islamist terrorism and attacks carried out by so-called “lone wolves” is a major concern, Ireland’s security watchdog has cautioned.
In its first report, the Independent Examiner of Security Legislation warned that risks facing Ireland from both domestic and international terrorist groups, as well as individuals, have expanded in recent years, reports RTE.
The report states there is a notable risk of an Islamist terrorist attack occurring in Ireland, or an હુમલાનું plot targeting a neighbouring jurisdiction being organised or launched from Ireland, noting that several such incidents have already occurred in recent years.
It also draws attention to threats from far-right and far-left extremism, the activities of hostile state actors, and the danger posed by individuals acting alone, often described as “lone wolves”, reports RTE.
The report’s author, George Birmingham, said that although the nature of the threat has changed, dissident republicans continue to present a serious concern, even 28 years after the Good Friday Agreement.
The assault by Abdullah Khan—a supporter of the so-called Islamic State—on two members of An Garda Síochána in Dublin last year, along with the stabbing of army chaplain Fr Paul Murphy in 2024 by a teenager radicalised online, underscored the threat Islamist terrorism poses to the State, reports RTE.
Mr Birmingham also pointed to significant shortcomings in existing legislation used to tackle these threats.
He said current laws governing the interception of modern digital communications are outdated, failing to address platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat, and noted there is no legal framework to access webpages or browsing histories through interception, reports RTE.
The report recommends introducing legislation that would allow gardaí to use electronic scanning tools capable of identifying and recording data such as IMSI catchers—devices that can intercept mobile phone signals to identify targets or devices of interest.
The former Court of Appeal president said that while An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces are not reckless in their intelligence work, he advised that the use of tracking devices should require judicial approval from senior officers independent of the investigation or surveillance operation, reports RTE.
Gardaí used tracking devices 47 times between April and December last year, compared to 41 uses in 2024. The Revenue Commissioners deployed them 21 times, while the Defence Forces did not use them. Both the gardaí and the Defence Forces also made more data retention requests last year than the previous year.
The report also notes that while any new legislation must include strong safeguards to protect privacy and rights, it is difficult to argue that criminals and terrorists should be immune from having their communications accessed, reports RTE.
The Independent Examiner of Security Legislation was established to assess the operation and effectiveness of security laws and reports annually to the Taoiseach.
George Birmingham was appointed as the first Independent Examiner last October, reports RTE.
Minister for Defence Helen McEntee said Ireland must remain alert to the threat of terrorism following the publication of the report.
Ms McEntee said it has “been the case for some time” in Ireland and globally that individuals now have the ability to pose risks in ways not previously seen, reports RTE.
Speaking in Co Kerry, she said it is well understood that “people can be radicalised online, we know that people can act on their own or they can be connected in ways like never before”.
“So we need to be alive to these threats, and I know that the gardaí and the work that they do and the teams that they have, this is something that they monitor and that they monitor very carefully,” reports RTE.
The minister added: “We’ve seen things happen already in this country, and it’s about making sure that we have the capacity to respond, and again, that we’re working closely whether it’s with European colleagues, whether it’s international colleagues in identifying these risks and being able to respond to them, if they happen,” reports RTE.
Associate professor at University College Dublin and Chair of the Digital Rights Alliance, TJ McIntyre, said: “Police have never had more investigative data available to them.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with David McCullagh, he said: “In a way we’re in an unusual situation now where police have never had more investigative data available to them, so taken as a whole we leave a lot of digital traces behind us whether it be on CCTV or on our own devices and so on,” reports RTE.
He said there is more information available for investigations now than ever before.
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