Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are all still trying to get used to these new surroundings. Even a year after Covid-19 struck, it is not easy to have proper conversations on complex issues when one is not in the same room as others. I will, obviously, try to answer people's questions as they arise and, hopefully, give the committee a detailed outline of the subjects on which I am asking for the committee members' support today. The first of those issues is what is called MARSUR III. The following motion has been placed on the Order Paper for Dáil Éireann and was referred to this committee for consideration:

That Dáil Éireann approves Ireland’s participation in the European Defence Agency Project - Maritime Surveillance (MARSUR) Networking - Operational Support and Development (MARSUR III) pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

In commending the motion to the select committee, I will briefly outline the function of the EDA and the background to the programme in which Ireland wishes to participate. The EDA was established by a joint action of the Council of the European Union in 2004 to support the member states and the Council in their efforts to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European Common Security and Defence Policy, CSDP, as it stands now and develops into the future.

On 6 July 2004, the Government approved Ireland's participation in the framework of the EDA. It is an agency of the European Union which is composed of defence ministers of the 26 participating states. Denmark does not participate due to its opting out on CSDP issues. Ireland participates in the framework of the agency and contributes to the annual cost of running the agency, including its annual work programme. The agency is focused on assisting member states in capability development, in obtaining better value for existing member states, defence expenditure, improving competitiveness and securing greater efficiency, particularly in the area of research technology and procurement of defence capabilities. The primary reason for Ireland's participation in the agency is to support the development of the Defence Forces' capabilities for peacekeeping and international crisis management operations. The Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 prescribes that participation in EDA projects or programmes is subject to Government and Dáil approval. Capability development projects with the EDA are classified either as category A projects, where all member states join unless they specifically opt out, or category B projects, where two or more member states come together to pursue a particular initiative. Ireland has participated in a number of category A and category B projects over the years. Four of those are now completed. Those projects covered capabilities such as force protection, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear, protection, counter-improvised explosive devices and earlier maritime surveillance projects.

There are four current and ongoing EDA projects in which Ireland is participating. These projects relate to cyber-defence training, satellite communications, counter-improvised explosive devices training and military search capacity building. The proposal I am putting to the committee today is to seek approval for Ireland to participate in a follow-on to the EDA project on maritime surveillance, MARSUR, networking, that is, operational support and development under MARSUR III. Ireland has participated in the MARSUR project since its inception. MARSUR networking provides a secure information network among the European maritime operation centres to share maritime and naval information in a secure manner in the interests of European maritime security. The technology used to communicate is known as the MARSUR exchange system, MEXS. This system has been developed by the participating member states since the first MARSUR project. The project aims to avoid duplication of effort and to use available technologies, data and information exchange to enhance co-operation and simple, efficient and low-cost solutions to enhance situational awareness in support of surveillance and security in the maritime domain. The Naval Service has been participating in the MARSUR project since 2012. This third iteration, MARSUR III, is a follow-on project, a continuation of the work done to date with the aim of further enhancement and improvement in terms of maritime surveillance. Previous iterations of this project have received Government and Dáil approval. This third iteration remains true to the objectives of the previous projects, with its aim to further develop a capability that fulfils the need of maritime surveillance, information sharing and networking.

The EDA MARSUR projects strengthen the recognised maritime picture. In simple terms, a recognised maritime picture is an image or map that shows all vessels and activities that are present in a particular maritime area. It links to national and international data and information on vessels, the maritime environment, infrastructure, etc., that has been compiled from various monitoring and surveillance systems. Enhanced exchange of information plays an important part in protecting maritime trade, the maritime environment, natural resources and in countering illicit activity in the maritime domain. The MARSUR projects have assisted member states, including Ireland, in enhancing situational awareness so as to combat drug trafficking, people smuggling and other illicit activities. MARSUR III is a follow-on project and will look to improve and upgrade the current technology to support the exchange of classified information, provide support to EU maritime operational engagements and CSDP missions and operations, and develop new functionalities such as artificial intelligence and big data processing.

MARSUR III will last for six years, with the possibility of extending it for a further two years. In that regard, I am seeking approval for Ireland's participation in the project for the life of the project, including any extension that might arise. The cost of participation is €50,000 per year for the life of the project.

There are 15 other EU member states preparing to join the MARSUR III project, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden - in other words, virtually every country that has a coastline and maritime interest. This level of engagement is indicative of the project's value and importance in terms of maritime surveillance and security.

Participation in this project will further enhance the capability of our Defence Forces to undertake the roles assigned to them by Government at home and overseas. As the State's principal seagoing agency, the Naval Service provides unique seagoing capability. It is tasked with providing a fisheries protection service and general maritime patrolling, and is ready to respond to, for example, an aid to civil power request, a pollution incident or a search and rescue or recovery mission, which is exactly what happened over the weekend when a fishing vessel was caught in a particularly difficult storm off the south coast. While everybody was brought home safely, the fishing vessel, unfortunately, sank because it lost power and the ability to turn on its edges.

Having access to national and international data on maritime surveillance through the EDA MARSUR projects is essential for the Naval Service to continue to provide this important role. It is a system that has been used on overseas missions and at home. It was used by the Naval Service when it was engaged in Operation Sophia, the EU security mission in the Mediterranean, and in a national context it supports Naval Service security and defence operations within Ireland's exclusive economic zone.

The EDA maritime surveillance project is one of the longest-running projects in the EDA and is an excellent example of member states working together to develop effective technological solutions in support of common interests and endeavours. I commend the motion to the select committee.

When some people looking from afar hear about the EDA they think about threats of European armies and so on. It is nothing of the sort. This is an opt-in mechanism on a project-by-project basis to work with other countries to improve capacity, learn lessons and build interoperability. The project we are looking to be part of for the next six years today is built on the work that has already happened regarding improving maritime surveillance and capacity in our waters and other EU waters. I strongly recommend we support it and let it get on with building on the work that has already been done.

I do not know whether the Chair wants me to deal with the motion first before going into the other elements of the committee. It involves all of our overseas missions. There may be very different questions on that. I am in the hands of the Chair.