Ireland “shouldn’t be afraid” to seek military assistance from allies during its hosting of the EU presidency this year, Minister for Defence Helen McEntee has said.
She was speaking on Wednesday morning at the launch of the National Maritime Security Strategy, which calls for deeper co-operation with France and the UK to secure Ireland’s marine area.
The new strategy commits to establishing a national maritime security centre in Ireland and to forge stronger links to Nato and other military bodies to combat threats to undersea and offshore infrastructure.
It will also involve new legislation to give the Irish Naval Service greater powers to board and inspect suspicious ships.
It is understood the focus on co-operation with the UK and France will allow ships from those countries to patrol the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and provide offshore security during the EU presidency if requested by Government.
This includes the potential stationing of French and British air defence frigates off the Irish coast during high-profile events to protect against airborne threats.
“I don’t think we should be afraid to seek assistance if it’s needed from other countries and from allies and partners,” said the Minister, pointing to the fact that Germany provided military assistance to Denmark last year when it held the rotating presidency.
McEntee said the Government is “actively engaged” in examining whether Ireland will need outside assistance during the presidency and “what that might look like”.
She said it is “only prudent” to explore these options.
“We’re only exploring what we might need and what we could do,” the Minister said. “This is normal practice, to work with each other and to collaborate, be it on our seas or be it on land.”
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The Minister said any such arrangements will be in line with Irish laws and the Constitution.
However, such co-operation could be open to legal challenge. Article 15 of the Constitution states: “No military or armed force, other than a military or armed force raised and maintained by the Oireachtas, shall be raised or maintained for any purpose whatsoever.”
Asked about this, McEntee said Ireland has “a very clear position when it comes to our military alliances and our neutrality, and I’m not suggesting for a second that that changes”.
“But that doesn’t prevent us co-operating with other colleagues when it comes to security and defence.”
Sailors prepare for Minister for Defence Helen McEntee to launch the National Maritime Security Strategy aboard the LÉ Samuel Beckett at Sir Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin.
Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
Separately, the Minister announced €1.8 million in funding for two Irish security initiatives, including Sea Scan, a Trinity College project to provide the Naval Service with an “AI-enhanced real-time vessel detection system” capable of detecting so-called dark vessels.
Funding will also be provided for a project to develop rapidly deployable military shelters for defence and humanitarian needs.
The funding was provided under the Research Ireland – Defence Innovation Challenge.