High court to hear claim of secret Ireland-UK terrorism defence pact

It comes as Taoiseach Micheál Martin admits that Ireland’s defence spending, one of the lowest in Europe, “will have to rise amid escalating security threats” Picture Dan Linehan

A legal bid to establish whether or not the government entered a secret pact with the UK to defend Irish airspace in the event of a terrorist attack will be heard in the high court on Friday.

It comes as Taoiseach Micheál Martin admits that Ireland’s defence spending, one of the lowest in Europe, “will have to rise amid escalating security threats” including marine subsea cable infrastructure .