The Irish Government has vowed to work with Britain to protect freedom and security in the wake of the Tunisia terror attacks.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny made the commitment after talks over the phone with Prime Minister David Cameron, and he also expressed condolences over the two countries’ shared grief.
“The Tunisian people have shown care to the dead, the injured and the bereaved and this is a testament to our shared humanity, our shared compassion and our desire to live in peace. We support their efforts to achieve democracy, security and prosperity,” Mr Kenny said.
“This morning I spoke to Prime Minister David Cameron about the murders of our own people and from around the world.
“We will be working together to do all we can to protect the freedom and security we hold dear.”
A minute’s silence was held in the Dáil as a mark of respect for the victims, which includes three Irish people – a mother and a husband and wife, all of whom were only hours from flying home.
Books of condolence have been opened for Lorna Carty, wife of a dairy farmer from Robinstown, Co Meath, who went on a sun holiday to help her husband Declan recover from a heart attack.
Tributes were also paid in the town hall in Athlone for local couple Martina and Laurence Hayes, whose deaths were revealed on Saturday.
Mr Kenny extended sympathies to relatives.
“I know I speak for the House and the country when I say that our hearts go out to the three of them and to all those who loved them in their life and who mourn them so deeply in death,” he said.
“Nothing we can say or do can make up for their loss.”
Mr Kenny also sent a message of support to grieving loved ones in the UK and the people of Tunisia.
“Equally, we stand with the people of Tunisia who feel shocked and betrayed. This attack was an act of hatred. It was a rejection of the values of respect, equality and freedom which we hold so dear,” he said.
“It was also an act of terror which aimed to undermine Tunisia – to damage its tourist industry and to spread hardship to the Tunisian people, to promote extremism and destroy Tunisia’s progress towards democracy and pluralism.”