Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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535. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline the representations or expressions of concern he has made to the British Government following reports that Irish subsea telecommunications cables have been targeted by Britain's Government Communications Headquarters, that is, that there has been mass interceptions of the Internet, telephone communications and activities of Irish citizens by a foreign government. [47755/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been in contact with the British Embassy on the subject of these reports. The messages that were conveyed to the British Embassy were along the lines contained in a letter from the Secretary General to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade on 9 December. It was pointed out in this letter that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade works to ensure the best possible bilateral relations between Ireland and other countries, including our nearest neighbours in Great Britain. It was also pointed out that it is generally understood that friendly relationships between States, including between Ireland and Britain, include acceptance of the principle that the privacy of communications must be respected. This is a principle Ireland has outlined in international fora and in policy statements. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade remains in close contact with the other Departments concerned, namely the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. They lead respectively on the justice/home affairs and communications (including cyber security) aspects of any issues arising from these reports.