Taoiseach defends Jacob radio interview

The Taoiseach Mr Bertie Ahern today defended the Mr Joe Jacob whose performance on a radio interview yesterday left Opposition parties clamouring for his resignation.

Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the Green Party yesterday called for Mr Jacob, the Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise, to resign over what they described as an "incompetent" account of the National Emergency Plan on RTÉ's

Marian Finucane

radio show.

Speaking at an event to lay the first foundation stone at the new civic offices in Bray, Mr Ahern said: "I am very well aware that the interview was not either one of Jo Jacob's best and certainly did not come across in a way that gave people the necessary confidence.

"Having said that, Jo Jacob is very competent on that issue. I have had bad days on radio too."

Mr Ahern said he had recently discussed with Mr Jacob how the Government would react to a terrorist strike on the Sellafield nuclear plant across the Irish Sea.

"I wish the answer he gave me that day had been given yesterday," Mr Ahern said.

In an attempt to reassure the public, Mr Ahern said: "The plan that is there is a good plan. If the interview created any concern then Jo and I and everyone regret that, but he is a competent person."

Mr Jacob - who was also at the event - said he was upset by the incident which was a "nightmare".

"We have good days, we have bad days. Perhaps yesterday was not my greatest day but we move on.

"We have the finest public administration in Europe, probably in the world. They are all on full alert for any emergency that may come about.

The Minister for Health, Mr Micheál Martin also defended his colleague saying that the radio interview did not merit resignation.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning IrelandMr Martin said although Mr Jacob had been ridiculed for his comments, his recommendation to shelter indoors was the backbone of the Government's emergency plan in the event of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack.

"This plan is being updated at the moment and a fact sheet would be available to the public in three months' time following an independent audit. It would take time because the Government could not invent a "miracle way of avoiding a radioactive cloud hanging over us," he said.

He said iodine tablets, referred to by Mr Jacob as a way to counteract the effects of radiation, were stocked by all health boards and would be freely distributed to all households under the updated emergency plan.

Ireland would be defenceless against certain potential biological threats due to the unavailability of vaccines, the Minister admitted.

The Department of Health and Children was liasing with the World Health Organisation to co-ordinate a response to any outbreak of infectious disease, he said.

Additional reporting PA