State papers: Government blocked building of submarines in Cork for fear of provoking China

The Government feared "that the export from Ireland to Taiwan of military goods would be regarded by Beijing as a highly provocative act inviting retaliation"

Permission had been sought by Dutch business interests to construct submarines at the Cork Dockyard in Rushbrooke, Co. Cork, which was previously the location of the Dutch-owned Verolme Cork Dockyard which closed in 1984. File picture

Plans to build submarines in a Cork shipyard in the early 1990s were scuppered by the Government over concerns that the proposed export of the vessels to Taiwan would upset Ireland’s relations with China.

Newly-released State papers show the Government also opposed the project as it did not want Ireland to become a significant producer or exporter of military equipment.

Permission had been sought by Dutch business interests to construct submarines at the Cork Dockyard in Rushbrooke, Co. Cork, which was previously the location of the Dutch-owned Verolme Cork Dockyard which closed in 1984. Verolme was the Republic’s biggest shipyard and employed over 1,100 staff at its peak.

The submarine initiative had the potential to allow for a major expansion of the shipbuilding industry in Cork. However, State files show the then-Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Andrews, concluded there would be “serious political difficulties” with the project.

A letter from a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Department of Industry and Commerce in April 1992 said Mr Andrews regretted that he had to advise against supporting the proposal for several reasons.

HISTORY HUB

If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading

Assistant secretary, Ronan Murphy, pointed out that Ireland recognised the people’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, including Taiwan.

Mr Murphy said: "Given Chinese sensitivities, we are satisfied that the export from Ireland to Taiwan of military goods would be regarded by Beijing as a highly provocative act inviting retaliation, particularly as the number of submarines involved could more than treble Taiwan’s existing submarine fleet."

The official also reminded colleagues that the Netherlands had experienced a downgrading of its diplomatic ties with China after it had sold submarines to Taiwan in 1981 which were only normalised three years later when the Dutch government gave a commitment not to allow further exports of strategic goods to Taiwan.

Mr Murphy noted that the proposal to build submarines in Cork had resulted from a decision by the Dutch government not to permit the involvement of Dutch companies in the project.

He observed that the Dutch approach was “a significant indication of the sensitivity of the issue”. He claimed Mr Andrews’ primary concern was Ireland’s relationship with China, 

However, Mr Murphy said the exclusively military purpose of the project would probably be seen as incompatible with Ireland’s traditional approach to security and disarmament and could give rise to “domestic opposition”. 

Other records show diplomatic staff warned that China was unlikely to make a distinction between full assembly in Ireland of components made in the Netherlands and part-assembly in the Republic with final assembly in Taiwan.

However, they claimed part-assembly of the submarines in Cork was unlikely to result in any domestic opposition which could be anticipated if final assembly at the Rushbrooke shipyard took place. They highlighted how China, with 15% of the world’s population, was a potentially vast market for Irish goods and services.

It was also observed that the Chinese government had not hesitated in the past to “make examples” of countries which established formal links with Taiwan.

Although Ireland has no history in the construction of submarines, a Clare-born engineer, John Philip Holland, is regarded as one of several individuals credited with inventing the underwater vessel.