Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
128. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the extent to which the EU might be encouraged to contribute to defence and coastal security measures on the Irish coast on the basis that such measures would have beneficial impact on Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51143/23]
View answerThe EU and its Member States, including Ireland, have significant strategic interests in identifying and addressing security challenges linked to the coastal defence.
In October 2023, the EU approved the revised EU maritime security strategy (EUMSS) and action plan, aimed at addressing security challenges at sea. The strategy and its accompanying action plan were first adopted by the Council in 2014, with the action plan being updated in 2018.
Together, the two documents provide a comprehensive framework for tackling various threats and challenges at sea. The aim of the revision in 2018, to which Ireland contributed, is to ensure that the EU has a wide range of effective tools at its disposal to address new and evolving security threats and challenges. The revised strategy provides a framework for the EU to take further action to protect its interests at sea, and to protect its citizens, values and economy, also in the light of Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine.
The revised strategy and its action plan have also been aligned with recent EU policy frameworks and instruments, such as the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence. On the basis of the updated EU Maritime Security Strategy, the Strategic Compass aims to, by 2025, further develop and strengthen the EU’s maritime security awareness mechanisms such as the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) and Maritime Surveillance (MARSUR) to advance interoperability, facilitate decision-making and support increased operational effectiveness. It also aims to further increase the visibility of our naval presence within and beyond the EU, including through port calls, training and exercises as well as capacity building.
While defence remains a national competence, Ireland sees the value in Member States’ national maritime activities voluntarily feeding into greater EU cooperation and adding value where possible. Ireland is a member of the existing European naval maritime surveillance information-sharing network EDA MARSUR Project and is a participant on the Greek led PESCO project “Upgrade of Maritime Surveillance’ which aims to enhance maritime situational awareness, Ireland also participates in the Belgian led PESCO project Maritime (Semi) Autonomous Systems for Mine Counter-Measures (MAS-MCM) which aims to deliver a high level collaboration and delivery of semi-autonomous underwater, surface and aerial technologies which can be used in a Mine Counter-Measures role. Ireland is observing on the PESCO project Critical Seabed Infrastructure Protection which aims to increase the EU’s operational efficiency in the protection of critical maritime infrastructure protection by making best use of current, and the development of future, underwater assets.
Given my regular engagement in EU discussions on the matter of Maritime Security and the extensive range of activities with which Ireland is closely and actively involved, I do not see a need to request specific additional European Union assistance towards Ireland’s coastal security.
