IRELAND IS UPGRADING its naval security, with the Defence Forces set to join a new European military alliance that shares intelligence on threats in EU waters.

The announcement comes just days after Russian spy ship the Viktor Leonov spent time in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), passing through the Atlantic off the coast.

It was the latest in a pattern of suspicious activity where Russian spy ships have been found operating near subsea cables in the Irish EEZ. There is growing concern here over the increasing presence of these ships operating off the Irish coast, raising security and intelligence fears.

Tánaiste and Defence Minister Simon Harris has since granted the Defence Forces approval to officially join the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), in order to enhance the country’s maritime surveillance.

The network will enable sharing of both classified and unclassified information between the military and civil agencies from countries including Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Finland and Portugal.

The CISE aims to improve information sharing between maritime authorities in the EU, which the bloc claims will improve the efficiency and coordination of surveillance operations across functions such as defence, customs, border control, and environmental protection.

It also aims to improve response times within EU waters.

CISE has been in development for 15 years, and became fully functional at the end of last year.

The Defence Forces’ participation in CISE will be managed from the Naval Operations Centre in Haulbowline, Co Cork, which will officially be designated as a “node” – a central hub within the network.

Harris said that joining the initiative would mean closer cooperation with EU counterparts “in order to keep our seas safe and secure”.

“Ireland will now be a stronger position in terms of information and intelligence sharing when it comes to our maritime environment,” Harris said.

“I very much believe that European Security is best served by working together and that very much goes to the heart of what this initiative is about.”

He added that this was a key enabler for Ireland’s first national maritime security strategy, which is currently being established.

Harris also confirmed today that he has directed officials in the Department of Defence to expedite the purchase of Radar and Sonar technology, which a department spokesperson said will “better protect our skies and underwater cables”.

In recent years, the vulnerability of Irish subsea infrastructure has become an emerging concern, especially with most transatlantic data traffic flowing through Irish seas.

Damage to undersea infrastructure can interrupt communications, but it also provides an opportunity for data interception or cyberattacks.