Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 March 2024
54. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an outline of Ireland's defence strategy concerning the protection of its undersea cables, airspace, and territorial waters and is it considered acceptable for these areas to remain undefended or be monitored by external entities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13019/24]
View answerAs I informed the House on 22 November during a debate on the consultative forum on international security, it is the Government's intention to develop a maritime security strategy, with the necessary resourcing, accompanying legislation and decision-making systems in place. This strategy will have a particular focus on subsea infrastructure.
Following the attacks on Nordstreams 1 and 2 in October 2022, my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, sought support from my Department for additional measures that could be put in place to ensure that critical offshore infrastructure, including data cables, was protected. As a result of this, enhanced patrolling of the Irish Sea in the vicinity of priority offshore infrastructure is taking place by a mixture of air and naval platforms and the Irish Naval Service Fisheries Monitoring Centre in Haulbowline continues to remotely monitor vessels in the EEZ on a 24/7 basis.
My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by the Government. A great deal of work is under way to ensure that we have the required capabilities, with equipment projects under way.
