No strong evidence Irish airspace has been used for attacks on Iran, says Taoiseach
Taoiseach Micheál Martin speaks to the media ahead of the St Patrick's Day Parade in Philadelphia.
Shannon Airport is not being used to help the US in its war in Iran, the Taoiseach has said.
Micheál Martin has pushed back on suggestions Ireland is being used by the US as part of the war in the Middle East, saying there is no “strong evidence” Irish airspace has been used.
“There have been repeated attempts to conflate Shannon with both the war in Gaza, which was absolutely false,” Mr Martin said, speaking in Philadelphia.
“This is a continuing narrative from certain quarters, politically, within Ireland, which I think will damage Shannon if that kind of argument continues.”
The Taoiseach said the Government needed to have a “degree of realism” about overflights.
“Are you saying if someone flies to Germany, that's a problem? There's international law governing airspace, and there's also international [rules] we have arrangements made in terms of the rules, and the framework by which you can fly through Irish airspace.
“The capacity to investigate that or to intervene if there's transgression is challenging and problematic, I think everyone would accept that.”
Mr Martin was speaking ahead of his visit to the White House on Tuesday, where he’s due to meet with president Donald Trump.
Asked if there are concerns the US immigration authority ICE would use St Patrick's Day events to detain undocumented Irish citizens, Mr Martin said no concerns have been raised with him.
“All the various groups I’ve met have not raised that, but obviously there are concerns more generally, apart from St Patrick’s Day, in respect of the undocumented,” Mr Martin said.
He cited work by the Irish Government to get agreement in the US Capitol for Irish citizens to access unused Australian visas, which was lost by a single vote in the Senate.
“It’s a very difficult issue here,” Mr Martin said.
“The point I’ll be making, and I continue to make to the US administration, if you get mutual legal pathways for the younger generations today, to continue that tradition of that historic and foundational relationship between Ireland and the United States.”
Asked if he would raise cases of Irish citizens detained by ICE with Mr Trump, Mr Martin said it is constantly being brought up through the Irish consular service in the US.
“Every country has its rules and has its laws,” he said. "The challenges here in more recent times are obvious politically on the migration front.
"It has also been difficult to get consensus on any one ethnic group. It has always been 'it's for everybody, or nobody'."
Mr Martin said there is currently a standing invitation for Mr Trump to visit Ireland, but he declined to speculate about whether or not the president would visit Ireland for the Irish Open, which is due to be held in Doonbeg.
“We have no details as to what his schedule would permit or whether or not he’s coming to Ireland this year,” Mr Martin said.
On the Stryker cyberattack, Mr Martin said he believed that cybersecurity threats are a “constant”, but downplayed the possibility of additional threats against Ireland as it takes up the EU presidency later this year.
He said the Government remains “very vigilant” to the risk of cyberattacks, citing the ongoing work of the national cybersecurity centre.
Asked if he was concerned about further attacks on Irish companies or State agencies in the wake of the Stryker cyberattack, Mr Martin said the Government is very conscious of the risks.
“We are very vigilant, and we work with other countries,” Mr Martin said.
"In fact, we discussed with the British prime minister Keir Starmer that very issue at some length, in terms of how the UK and Ireland, for example, can collaborate and co-operate on resilience around cyber security attacks. It's not new.
“But bear in mind that those very same companies, particularly on the technology side, give Ireland a lot of strength as well, because a lot of the work around cybersecurity is through our national centre, but also with companies, both multinational companies and Irish indigenous companies.
“In fact, we have very strong clusters of companies that were very strong in terms of neutralising cyberattacks, and in the cybersecurity area as well.”
Ahead of his visit to Washington DC, Mr Martin has been in Philadelphia for the last two days, with the Taoiseach marching in the city’s annual St Patrick’s Day parade today.
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