Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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24. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence for the up-to-date position on safeguarding measures to protect any threat of damage to vital subterranean and submarine infrastructure in Irish waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6062/25]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which the Naval Service monitors the presence of naval vessels from other countries in Irish waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6063/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 43 together.

The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency tasked with a variety of defence and other roles.

While the main daily tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with our obligations as a member of the EU, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks including maritime surveillance, drug interdiction, search and rescue, and maritime defence and security operations (MDSO). As such any Naval Service patrol should be viewed as a multi-faceted activity.

The Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron, responsible for aerial monitoring of the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), significantly enhanced its surveillance capabilities in 2023 with the delivery of two C295 maritime patrol aircraft, which are now operational. These state-of-the-art aircraft, equipped with advanced surveillance and communication technology, replaced the aging CASA CN235s.

The Defence Forces routinely monitor foreign vessels with both Naval Service assets and Air Corps maritime patrol aircraft, as well as remote monitoring on a 24/7 basis from the Naval Operations Command Centre in Haulbowline. It should be noted that foreign vessels transiting Irish waters must do so in compliance with international law and may be subject to sighting and observation by the Naval Service and Air Corps without their innocent passage being infringed. Infringement of these obligations under international law would be a serious matter and would be addressed by the Government accordingly.

Officials from my Department and the Defence Forces continue to engage with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the protection of Ireland’s offshore infrastructure.