Deny 'ships of death' access to Irish waters: RSF call

The arrival of contaminated war ships off the Kerry coast is an insult to the people of Ireland because of the danger posed by such vessels, the local branch of Republican Sinn Féin said today.

RSF North Kerry spokesman John O'Shea from Ballylongford said in view of the public reaction to these "ships of death" it should be policy to refuse permission for such voyages through Irish territorial waters.

"It is an indication that the Dublin Administration care little for the health and safety of the Irish people when they agree to allow such ships sail through Irish waters," he said.

"It was only when the outcry of concern from the British public reached such proportions that it could not be ignored was the danger exposed.

"These former American warships are contaminated with highly dangerous chemicals and it was a typical American solution to ship these vessels to Europe to solve the problem.

"The Irish people should not be exposed to the possibility however slight of one of these 'ghost ships' approaching the Irish coast or maybe running aground.

"It must be pointed out that the Dublin Administration has a duty to protect the safety of the Irish people and therefore we are now calling for an agreed policy of banning such 'death ships' from Irish waters."