Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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193. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on whether the Government’s consideration of joining a NATO subsea group would breach Ireland’s neutrality as reported (details supplied); and the estimated cost to the State to finance membership of the NATO subsea group. [23947/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland's relationship with NATO is conducted through Partnership for Peace (PfP), of which Ireland has been a member since 1999. Participation in PfP is seen as fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for international crisis management and peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN and in enhancing the Defence Forces’ interoperability with other professional military forces. Participation in Partnership for Peace does not involve any commitment to NATO’s common defence arrangements.

Partnership for Peace retains its own separate identity and was founded based on an individual bilateral relationship between NATO and each of the Partnership for Peace countries.

Ireland is currently in the process of developing a renewed partnership with NATO through a new Individually Tailored Partnership Programme (ITPP). This new framework presents an opportunity to enhance our cooperation in relevant areas of choice, potentially including such areas as critical undersea infrastructure.

In February 2023, the NATO Secretary General announced the creation of a Critical Undersea Infrastructure Coordination Cell. Further details on how Partners, including Ireland, may engage with the new cell are likely to emerge after the NATO summit in July.

Joining the Critical Undersea Coordination Cell would be consistent with Ireland's approach to joining other NATO initiatives, including the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence Tallinn. Participation in the Coordination Cell has no implications for Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality.