We need to be prepared for threats against schools and hospitals – Minister

Schools and hospitals “always have to be prepared” for the prospect of bomb threats, a Cabinet minister has said, following hoax emails sent to media outlets and airlines in recent days.

There has been increased attention on so-called hybrid threats including bomb scares in the run-up to major events in the coming days as part of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Several Irish media outlets received hoax bomb threats on Friday at the end of a week that saw airlines across parts of Europe also targeted with hoax bomb alerts, among them flights that departed from Dublin.

The Irish authorities will mount their largest-ever security operation next week when more than 50 world leaders visit Dublin for the European Political Community summit on Thursday, followed by an informal meeting of the EU Council.

Asked if hospitals and schools should expect bomb threats in the coming days, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said such institutions have been targeted elsewhere.

Speaking to reporters at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis at University College Cork, she said: “What we have seen this week reflects some of the experience of our European partners, what they have been experiencing for some time, particularly across Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.

“And, of course, the focus comes to Ireland because of our presidency of the European Union and the European Political Community being here this week.

“We have seen in other countries that, you know, hospitals and schools have been targeted in hybrid attacks, and we just want to condemn every element of that.”

She added: “Every part of our society has to take stock in relation to the threats that exist right across Europe.

“We’ve unfortunately seen that in Ireland.

“We have full confidence in the gardaí, the Defence Forces, all of the security apparatus that are trying to plan and manage all of the different issues.

“But it’s very, very regrettable to see these things come to Irish soil.”

Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton told reporters “there have been concerns” but that “there are procedures in place”.

She said: “From the schools’ perspective, there have been concerns in relation to this and our schools have been very proactive.

“I’ve engaged with the Minister for Justice as well in relation to this, to make sure that all safeguards are put in place and we’re protecting all of our citizens and our students as well.

“So, I think you can be assured, and we can be assured, that there is a huge amount of work happening – right across the Department of Justice, Department of Defence – in relation to this.

“There is a lot of work happening in this space.”

Pressed on whether threats against schools and hospitals were considered likely, Ms Naughton said: “I think we always have to be prepared.

“We have EU leaders coming to this country, but, again, we need to really reassure people that there is a huge amount of work happening around our security within the State.

“We are a European country, part of the European Union, and it’s really important that we protect democracy, and we ensure that we keep our citizens safe and that we stand by the values of the European Union because, you know, they are under threat.

“It’s really important now more than ever that Ireland, hosting these EU leaders coming to this country, that we ensure that we can have these conversations and also work together as a union to keep them safe.”