Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
104. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the extent to which the Defence Forces monitor the presence of naval vessels from other countries in Ireland's waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28118/23]
View answer105. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on Ireland’s submarine cables; if they have been put at risk in recent months by hostile states travelling through Irish waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29572/23]
View answer118. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence what measures have been implemented to increase the monitoring of Irish waters and Irish airspace from Russian vessels and aircraft since the start of the Ukrainian war; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29533/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 105 and 118 together.
The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency tasked with a variety of defence and other roles.
While the main daily tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with our obligations as a member of the EU, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks including contraband interdiction duties, search and rescue, and maritime defence and security operations (MDSO). As such any Naval Service patrol should be viewed as a multifaceted activity.
These patrols are augmented by the Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron in patrolling the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) using the two CASA CN 235 maritime patrol aircraft which are equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment.
The Naval Service and the Air Corps currently patrol the entire 200 mile limit and periodically patrol beyond these limits. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary including coastal areas. These maritime patrols are multi-tasked in that they undertake sea fishery protection, general surveillance, security and other duties such as search and rescue, diving operations and drugs interdiction.
In addition, the Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) located at Naval Base Haulbowline carries out monitoring and surveillance of all vessels equipped with a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) that are operating in and adjacent to the Irish EEZ.
Following an extraordinary EU Energy Council meeting in October 2022 to discuss the EU’s energy security in response to the attacks on Nordstream 1 and 2, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications sought support from my Department in relation to additional measures that could be put in place by the Defence Forces to ensure that critical off-shore infrastructure including subsea cables are protected.
My officials and the Defence Forces continue to engage with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the protection of Ireland’s offshore infrastructure. While the Defence Forces have limited sub-sea capabilities, enhanced maritime patrolling of the Irish Sea in the vicinity of priority offshore infrastructure is taking place by a mixture of air and naval platforms.
The Defence Forces are aware of a number foreign military vessels which have passed through the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in recent months. It is not unusual for naval ships or civilian vessels of other States to carry out training exercises within this area or to passage through this area.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) allows for all vessels, including military vessels, to transit through the territorial waters of coastal states when conducting innocent passage (as defined by art. 19 of UNCLOS).
Any vessels transiting Irish waters must do so in compliance with international law and may be subject to sighting and observation by the Naval Service and Air Corps without their innocent passage being infringed. Infringement of these obligations under international law would be a serious matter and would be addressed by the Government accordingly.
With regard to monitoring of Irish airspace, the Air Corps is not currently equipped to monitor aircraft overflying Irish airspace, military or otherwise. However, on a routine basis the Air Corps monitors and communicates with foreign military aircraft where such aircraft are flying in the airspace in the vicinity of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, where air traffic control is provided by the Defence Forces.
AirNav Ireland (formerly part of the IAA) exercises Air Traffic Control responsibilities for both sovereign airspace and also airspace over the high seas, largely off the western seaboard. All air traffic, both civil and military, is monitored and controlled by AirNav Ireland in respect of this airspace and in line with ICAO rules it is normal practice for them to be informed by the relevant State of any military flights operating in Irish controlled airspace.
The Deputy may wish to note that the development of a primary radar capability was one of the recommendations made in the report of the Commission of the Defence Forces last year, and in response to that, a project team, comprising senior civil and military personnel, has commenced work on planning for military radar capabilities. This includes ground based, maritime and primary radar systems. Delivery of primary radar is extremely complex and will take some time to deliver. However, delivery has been prioritised by Government and this year’s increased capital allocation for Defence includes funding to explore the development of a primary radar capability.
