Ireland is to deepen naval co-operation with France and Britain, including allowing their vessels to patrol Irish-controlled waters and offer protection during the EU presidency.<\/p>\n
The move towards deeper co-operation will be outlined on Wednesday with the launch of the National Maritime Security Strategy, which will set out planned measures to protect Irish waters and subsea infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Much of the strategy focuses on increasing co-operation with European allies, both bilaterally and through organisations such as Nato.<\/p>\n
One goal will be to forge links with the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a UK-led alliance focused on maritime security. The JEF is not a part of Nato, although all 10 current members are also Nato members.<\/p>\n
It is designed to respond rapidly to military crises on behalf of Nato or the UN. Ireland is not proposing becoming a full member of the JEF. Instead, it will be a part of \u201cJEF+\u201d, a new concept to allow allied nations to take part in individual exercises and operations as they see fit.<\/p>\n
Participation in JEF+ will offer Ireland opportunities to \u201clearn from its experiences and best practices\u201d, the strategy states.<\/p>\n
The Department of Defence<\/a> \u201cwill move quickly to open discussions\u201d with JEF member states to secure access for the Defence Forces.<\/p>\n Ireland\u2019s participation is specifically focused on addressing the threat from the Russia shadow fleet, a group of hundreds of vessels used by Moscow to transport sanctioned oil.<\/p>\n Shadow fleet vessels often enter Irish economic waters where they occasionally loiter over subsea cables. They are also considered an environmental risk due to their poor condition.<\/p>\n The strategy states Ireland will \u201cmaximise\u201d opportunities to work with Nato<\/a> to increase \u201cmaritime domain awareness\u201d and protect subsea infrastructure.<\/p>\n In addition, Ireland will support international and EU<\/a> efforts to counter the shadow fleet, including new sanctions and \u201cparticipation in relevant operational initiatives\u201d.<\/p>\n Increased co-operation with France and the UK form a key part of the strategy. This will include appointing liaison officers to maritime security agencies in those countries.<\/p>\n While it is not mentioned in the strategy, security sources said this increased co-operation will facilitate the stationing of French and UK vessels in Irish economic waters to assist with maritime security.<\/p>\n This may include patrols of Ireland\u2019s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the stationing of frigates off the coast to provide air defence during the EU presidency, which Ireland assumes in July.<\/p>\n A security source said any such decision would have to come from Government but that they do not believe it would be a controversial move. They pointed to Germany providing air defence assets to Denmark while it held the presidency last year.<\/p>\n