Shannon airport is not at risk of being targeted for a terrorist attack in spite of the use of the facility for refuelling US military aircraft, the Minister for Defence said yesterday.
Speaking at the opening of a new army gymnasium at Collins Barracks, Cork, Mr Smith said he had not received any request from the Department of Justice on the stepping-up of security at Shannon.
"It is unfair to Shannon to have it down as a potential target. We have no reason to believe there is a threat to us. Personnel at Aer Rianta have taken a number of measures on airport security since September 11th, including the improving of designs of cockpits and security of doors etc.
"This makes it difficult for people with evil intent to carry out atrocities," he said.
Mr Smith said Ireland could not "afford to be bystanders in the fight against international terrorism".
However, he said Ireland's neutrality was not in any way compromised by allowing Shannon airport to be used as a stop-over facility for the US military.
Mr Smith has been subject to much criticism from the Green Party in recent weeks for granting permission to US troops heading for Iraq to land at the airport.
Green Party MEP Ms Patricia McKenna has accused the Minister of making a "joke" of Ireland's policy on neutrality by ignoring what she says is the increased presence of US personnel in Shannon in recent months.
Mr Smith refused to comment directly on calls for his resignation made by the Green Party.
He said Ireland had a historical attachment to military neutrality which would continue to be upheld.
"US military aircraft have landed in Shannon for years. Twenty-three per cent of US investment in Europe is in Ireland so they are an important cog in the development of the Irish economy.
"Of course that doesn't give them the right to break any rules. There is no threat to military neutrality. We are non-aligned and we are staying non-aligned."
The Minister repeated the sentiments of the Junior Minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Willie O'Dea, who last week said there was "nothing new, secret, furtive or conspiratorial" going on at Shannon Airport.
However, Mr Smith admitted he couldn't give a "cast-iron guarantee" that weapons were not stored in the hold-area of US military planes.
He said at the present time there were no plans to send Irish personnel in to check the hold-area of military planes for weapons.
The Minister said that if there was war with Iraq, the situation would be re-evaluated.
Meanwhile, Ms McKenna has criticised the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, accusing her of blatantly trying to mislead the public over US military use of Shannon Airport in the build-up to war on Iraq.
Ms McKenna said the Tánaiste's efforts to suggest that what is happening at Shannon is strictly above board "defies explanation".
The MEP was responding to Ms Harney's rejection of claims that the Irish Government is in breach of both national and international legislation by facilitating the US military at the airport.
"Article 28 of the Irish Constitution quite clearly states that 'the State shall not participate in any war save with the assent of Dáil Éireann'. The assent of Dáil Éireann has not been sought, and yet by facilitating the passage of American troops through Shannon on their way to the Gulf, we are quite clearly participating in a war effort. The illegality of this activity is unquestionable."
Ms McKenna also firmly rejected the Tánaiste's assertion that military activity in Shannon was covered by a UN mandate.
She argued that Ms Harney was deliberately trying to mislead the public by citing the legitimacy of a UN mandate which does not exist.