Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

277. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Air Corps will continue to have a role in maritime surveillance, maritime security and defence patrols and fisheries protection and that this contribution will be recognised in any future maritime security strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29585/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I wish to advise the Deputy that, as Minister for Defence, I am fully committed to the delivery of the national maritime security strategy by the end of this year. Maritime security was identified as a priority in the Defence Policy Review, and my Department is leading on the development of the National Maritime Security Strategy. This is the first time responsibility has been assigned for maritime security in the State, and the Department created a Maritime Security Unit in December 2024.

The Air Corps will play a pivotal role in our future maritime security strategy, particularly in air defence and maritime surveillance. While the Naval Service as the State's principal sea-going agency, is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles, the Air Corps complements these efforts by providing surveillance from the air. This includes identifying potential threats, as well as providing intelligence gathering and surveillance to support maritime operations. 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.

A key element of any maritime security strategy for Ireland will be enhancing maritime domain awareness. An early action was my approval in April for Defence Forces’ participation in the EU’s Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE). Joining CISE will support better monitoring and surveillance of growing threats at sea and will help improve the Defence Force’s maritime domain awareness. This will aid their decision-making during complex maritime operational scenarios as well as their ability to share information with other EU maritime organisations.

The strategy will identify the risks and threats Ireland faces in the maritime domain and prioritise them. and will contain a plan to address the most urgent and immediate risks and threats. I anticipate that the focus will be on developing a strategy that combines an enhanced maritime domain awareness with a prioritised focus on ensuring the protection of critical maritime infrastructure, especially critical undersea infrastructure as developments in recent years have demonstrated the vulnerability of critical undersea infrastructure to threats during crisis and conflict.