Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Anti-drone technology is a really hot topic right now. Unmanned warfare is taking centre stage, especially in the Ukraine war, where Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has raised the profile of drone warfare with some 600 unmanned aerial vehicles from both sides estimated to take flight daily.

However, locally, the threat from drones is far broader. Commercial drones are typically sold with preset geofencing that prevents their flight near sensitive locations. However, these guardrails are easily hacked. We all witnessed the havoc and disruption recently at Dublin Airport with many hundreds of flights grounded. In March, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, spoke about the purchase of the necessary anti-drone equipment and the decision required on who would deploy the necessary technology. Will the Tánaiste provide some information on the types of equipment purchased that is in operation? Who is controlling this? Is it within the remit of the Defence Forces? Will he also refer to the future investment in this technology?

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