Ireland has an “individually tailored plan with Nato” to deal with the issue of cyber and sub-sea security, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil.
Micheál Martin warned TDs that “we need to get over any squeamishness about that in the world we live in today” because of the threat posed by Russia.
“There is no sense in this House at all above how grave the situation is,” he said, adding that people have their “heads in the sand”.
Ireland’s critical subsea infrastructure and utilities are at risk and “we do have to improve capability”, he said, referring to the undersea internet cables off the Irish coast that carry most of the internet traffic between the US and Europe.
RM Block
“Ships have been loitering. Russia is gathering information all the time in respect of critical economic infrastructure that everyone in Europe depends on, [that] the world depends on,” he said.
Mr Martin was responding to questions about cybersecurity and drone attacks by Russia across Europe.
Fianna Fáil chair of the Oireachtas AI (artificial intelligence) Committee Malcolm Byrne said every other parliament except Ireland’s “is debating the fact that there is an increased risk of war” expanding beyond Ukraine.
[ Shifting geopolitics and Ireland's neutrality Opens in new window ]
He spoke about “horrific things” including the estimated 20,000 children abducted from Ukraine, along with hybrid and cyberattacks on EU and other European countries.
“We’ve seen drone attacks and violations of airspace in recent months on Poland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and they know in those countries that combat aircraft have had to be scrambled,” he said.
“We know that we have Russian vessels in Irish waters” but “we haven’t had a debate in this house around the escalating war in Europe”.
His party colleague Shay Brennan said the drone attacks have been accompanied by threats to energy and transport infrastructure. He asked, in light of EU discussions, if Ireland was “advocating for a common European air defence framework, for a greater intelligence sharing for protection of critical infrastructure or for stronger co-ordinated sanctions”.
The Taoiseach told him “we have to co-ordinate with fellow member states in Europe” to protect against cyberattacks, to share knowledge and information as to where some of the shadow fleet are loitering, where the shadow fleet are turning up”.
Mr Martin said “we have to work with like-minded member states to make sure we know what’s going on”.
“Cybersecurity can’t be defended against without working with others. It’s about sharing knowledge, expertise, and information,” he said.
“And that’s why we have an individually tailored plan with Nato in terms of the issue of cybersecurity, sub-sea security, in terms of knowledge and expertise in mentoring and training ... because it’s needed.
“We need to get over any squeamishness about that in the world that we live in today because ... if people don’t believe this stuff, your head is in the sand in terms of the threats that are out there.”
He said that Ireland was continuing to provide support in respect of the abducted children and “I would like to be in a position to support certain research in respect of those children, to get them back. It’s an appalling crime that has occurred.”
