Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
130. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Defence Ireland’s current naval capabilities to police and protect the State’s territorial waters; the way in which the State would respond to any incursion into Irish airspace; and the specific measures the Government has in place to counteract hybrid warfare. [66630/25]
View answerThe Naval Service currently has a fleet of eight vessels. Four of the vessels are regularly deployed on Maritime Defence and Security Operations (MDSO). These four vessels consist of three P60 class vessels as well as the L.É. Aoibhinn (P71) with all four vessels conducting patrols on a rotation basis.
The vessels routinely carry out monitoring and surveillance of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron also carry out aerial surveillance of the Irish EEZ using C295 maritime patrol aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment.
In addition to at sea monitoring, the Naval Operations Command Centre in Haulbowline carries out remote monitoring twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
In relation to air defence capability, the current Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) radar and missile systems are approaching obsolescence and, as a result, the development of a new ground based air defence system, including Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) elements, is a key objective of the overall Military Radar Programme. In line with the Commission on the Defence Forces recommendations, this will be compatible with and integrated into the Recognised Air Picture (RAP). The required GBAD capability will need to be deployable, scalable and fully interoperable to protect against any potential air threats.
Good progress is being made across all elements. I was pleased to recently welcome the approval by the Dáil of the Government’s proposal for a substantive capital supplementary estimate of €19 million on the Defence Vote. It is intended that the additional budget allocation will be used to procure, in an accelerated manner, Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) capabilities for the Defence Forces, that will provide enhanced aerial protection around Baldonnel and ensure that the facility can remain fully operational at all times.
It is anticipated that delivery of the C-UAS capability will be available for use by the Defence Forces, if needed, as part of the comprehensive security arrangements to be put in place during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026.
