Written answers

Wednesday, 2 February 2022

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Diplomatic Representation

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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63. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the correspondence or meetings he has had with the Russian Ambassador in relation to naval exercises conducted by the Russian military off of the Irish coast. [5242/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Last week, following extensive engagement with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Dublin, I wrote to the Minister of Defence of Russia, Sergey Shoygu, to request a reconsideration of the planned Russian naval exercises off the Irish coast. Officials from my Department, including the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also held several additional discussions with the Russian Ambassador in this regard.

In the course of this engagement with the Russian authorities, I raised a number of concerns in relation to the naval exercises, in particular in the context of the current political and security environment in Europe. I also drew attention to the concerns of the Government and other stakeholders in respect of the potential impact on fisheries and on other marine life in the area of the planned exercises.

On 29 January, I received a response from Minister Shoygu, confirming that the exercise will be relocated outside of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone. I have welcomed this response.

More broadly, Ireland remains concerned at the wider security situation in Europe. Together with our EU partners, our focus remains very much on diplomacy and de-escalation and the ongoing efforts in this regard.

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