Emergency security meeting called over drone sightings during Zelenskyy's Dublin visit
The Irish Aviation Authority no drone signs at Dublin Airport. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie
An emergency meeting of the Oireachtas National Security Committee will be held this week to examine the sighting of drones near the flight path of Ukrainian president Voldomyr Zelenskyy when he visited Dublin last week.
Gardaí are investigating reports that an Irish navy ship spotted up to five drones operating near the flight path of the Ukrainian president's plane last Monday.
Gardaí confirmed in a statement that a Special Detective Unit was investigating the incident.
“As part of this, the Special Detective Unit will be liaising with the Defence Forces and international security partners.”
However, the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security, Rose Conway Walsh, said that she would call the Department of Defence to an emergency meeting this week to answer questions on the incident.
Ms Conway Walsh said the committee has already expressed dissatisfaction at the limitations of its remit.
"We're already having a battle about the remit of the committee but if there was ever an example of why we need oversight, this is it.
"Will be calling an emergency meeting of the committee this week. The Department of Defence will have to come in.
"I'm taking this seriously and I would be surprised if others weren't. We have the EU Presidency next year and we are not getting the answers back to ensure us that things are in place."
Further education minister James Lawless said that Ireland does have the capability to protect foreign leaders when the country takes on the EU Presidency in July, but added that he does not foresee the use of external security assistance.
"We can understand this is a real and present danger to our national security and defending ourselves is actually nothing to do with neutrality. Any neutral country must be able to defend itself properly," he said.
Mr Lawless said that Russian aggression was a "very real and present threat".
"And I think it's welcome that the wider public is beginning to get to this position (to have debate on security). Because for a long time it wasn't quite been taken seriously."
Committee member senator Gerard Craughwell said that the committee is "not being taken seriously".
"Already the request to those responsible for state security to appear before the committee has been flatly rejected. The Taoiseach thinks so much of our worth that he has refused to appear also.
"Now that Ireland has suffered the embarrassment of the four drones in our airspace at a time of the state's greatest security challenge this year no comment has been sought from the committee or any member that I am aware of.
"We see in the media questions with respect to collaboration between garda and Defence Forces. Some journalists asking why the Naval Service did not shoot down the drones. Is this serious comment? Were the Naval Service expected to open fire with 7.62 ammunition where civilian aircraft were flying? What is the legislative position with respect to ground to air engagement? Are there rules of engagement agreed? I do not believe that any such are in place.
"Next year we take over the presidency of the EU, are we ready? Can we guarantee the security of visiting heads of state? I very much doubt it."
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