Ireland will beef up drone defences ahead of assuming EU presidency

Move comes in the wake of reports of objects in the skies near the flight path of the plane carrying Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his recent Dublin visit

Foreign affairs and defence minister Helen McEntee pledged to put technology in place which will identify and neutralise drones that may be a threat. Stock picture: Dan Linehan

Anti-drone defences will be in place by the time Ireland takes up the EU presidency next summer, the minister for foreign affairs and defence has said.

The technology will "identify and neutralise" drones that "may be a threat" and will be in place before the meeting of senior EU figures in Dublin.

However, Helen McEntee declined to say whether the Government has any definitive proof that objects spotted in Irish skies during the visit of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy were drones or where they were from.

Concerns have been raised about the level of security which Ireland will be able to provide when it assumes the presidency of the EU in July following reports of drones in the skies near where Mr Zelenskyy's plane had been following his arrival into Dublin last week.

Speaking at the Curragh Camp in Kildare, Ms McEntee said that funding for a three-stage radar had been "brought forward" to allow the anti-drone aspect be in place next year.

"There are three elements to the overall radar system. The first we will be bringing forward, and there was funding that was added in recent weeks to the department to allow for that to happen. So the counter drone technology will be in place by the presidency next summer, and that will be there to be able to detect, identify and essentially neutralise drones that may be a threat."

Ms McEntee added that Ireland will have a long-range system that will be put in place which would allow Ireland identify aircraft "from a much further distance".

Gardaí are investigating reports that an Irish naval ship spotted up to five drones operating near the flightpath of the Ukrainian president’s plane last Monday, but asked if she had seen proof that drones had been spotted, Ms McEntee said the Ukrainian's president visit to Ireland was "successful" but that drones were identified in the sky "at certain times".

She added that a review is under way and she has spoken with the Chief of the Defence Forces.

"What we are seeing here is what is being reflected across the EU. We have to find out the information and respond and learn from it," she said.

Ms McEntee said: "These drones are designed to disrupt."

"We have to understand what has happened. This is why we are investing in our defence forces," she added.