Defence review shows strong public support for boosting Ireland’s maritime security

The Irish navy shadowed a Russian ‘subsea spy ship’ last November after it entered Irish-controlled waters and patrolled a section of the Irish Sea where critical energy pipelines and data cables connect Ireland with Britain.

There is “strong support” among the public for increasing cooperation with international organisations and neighbouring states in boosting Ireland’s maritime security, an initial review of almost 300 submissions for Ireland’s maritime security strategy indicates.

The Department of Defence said this early review of the submissions also highlights the importance of investing in the capabilities of the Naval Service, the sharing of information, and increasing the role of the private sector in building protection for Ireland’s critical infrastructure.

Tánaiste Simon Harris, minister for defence and minister for foreign affairs, said he is committed to the publication of Ireland's first maritime security strategy by the end of 2025.

The consultation was launched on June 12 last and ran for four weeks.

The Department of Defence said it received around 300 submissions.

The Tánaiste said: “We now have a diverse range of perspectives on which we can build, coming from a wide range of interested parties, including government departments, academia, industry and the public.

“While the analysis of these submissions is ongoing, initial review of the feedback shows a clear understanding of Ireland’s maritime security challenges and support for a focus on defence and security priorities when it comes to dealing with risks and threats in our maritime domain.” 

The department said the submissions raise a range of issues, including the most significant threats and vulnerabilities in the maritime domain, the best ways to prepare for them, priority areas for investment, views on private sector involvement in improving maritime security, and whether Ireland should increase cooperation with international organisations and neighbouring countries.

The submissions also highlight Ireland’s undersea energy and communications infrastructure, with concerns particularly linked to geopolitical instability and "increasing levels of suspicious vessel activity" in Ireland's seas, not least by Russian vessels.

The department statement said: "Respondents emphasised the importance of the Naval Services’ capabilities, as well as improving our maritime domain awareness to ensure we have a comprehensive picture of what is going on in our surrounding seas."

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It said people also raised climate change, illegal fishing and organised crime.

"Early analysis of the responses to the consultation also indicate that the public sees collaboration with the private sector, particularly those who own and operate critical maritime infrastructure, as beneficial to improving the resilience of these critical assets," the department said. 

"There are also calls for better information sharing and for a focus on opportunities for innovation and technological development to benefit Ireland in the maritime domain. There is strong support among the public for increasing international cooperation."

It said the department is preparing a full analysis on the responses, which would inform the preparation of the National Maritime Security Strategy, after which all the responses to the online survey will be published.