Irish concerns after Cork student declared 'security threat' in Australia
Marina Sologub, who grew up in Glanmire, Cork, has been declared a potential national security threat in Australia where she now lives.
Revelations that an Irish citizen of Russian ethnicity, who worked in Ireland’s space industry, has been accused of being a security threat in Australia highlights the “long-standing failure” of Irish governments to take national security seriously, a top expert has said.
It follows reports in Australian media thatMarina Sologub, a consultant in the Australian space industry, has been declared a potential national security threat by the country's spy agency.
Ms Sologub, born in Kazakhstan, grew up in Glanmire in Cork and studied in University College Cork.
Her CV, acquired by Australian newspapers, state that she worked in the office of then Cork North-Central TD Bernard Allen and later Willie Penrose, the former Labour TD, in the Longford-Westmeath constituency.
Mr Allen confirmed to that she had worked for him, adding he was “gobsmacked” by the reports. Mr Penrose told the newspaper she worked with him for only a brief period.
The Australian media reported that she worked for the National Space Centre in Midleton, Co Cork between 2011 and 2017.
Ms Sologub claimed she was “responsible for the establishment of the Irish Space Industry Group” and for the “management of the annual European Satellite Navigation Competition in Ireland”.
She listed her greatest professional achievement as “the development of intergovernmental agreement between Republic of Ireland and Russia Federation in use of space for civil purposes”.
She claimed to have liaised “closely with both governments” in this regard and had “direct access to key decision-makers” in both government departments.
She arrived in Australia in September 2020 and worked in the space industry and most recently for a council, the City of Marion, which has now cancelled her visa.
She faces deportation.
Ben Tonra, Professor at UCD School of Politics, said the revelations were “emblematic of our long-standing failure to take national security seriously”.
He said: “The absence of any system for national security clearance has allegedly been on the agenda of several governments now - thus far to no avail.”
He said this is of concern to the hi-tech sector here: “This kind of alleged infiltration has both commercial and national security implications.
"If such individuals can insert themselves via state agencies, boards and advisory bodies then companies will think again about engagement in Ireland.”
