Tom Clonan (Independent)

I raise a number of colliding issues that are of great urgency. One is the presence of a Russian spy ship, Yantar, not far from Irish waters. This is a surveillance vessel which is part of the Russian order of battle. It has been in Irish waters almost consistently for a number of years now. It is obvious, based on the circumstances, that it is mapping not just our subsea oceanic fibre optic cables that connect transatlantically and carry one third of European Union data between Ireland and the United States, but all the cables that connect continental Europe with the United States. These pass through Irish waters at some point where they drop off the continental shelf. It is clear that we do not have the capacity to sufficiently monitor or intercept or shadow these vessels, and that is through no fault of our Naval Service. It is because of the erosion of Óglaigh na hÉireann over the last number of years. It also brings to the fore the fact that we are not in a position to provide the basic, minimum level of security for our Presidency of the European Union.

I do not have a watch, Chair. I apologise; I do not know where I am on the time.