Most transatlantic cables go through or close to Ireland, making its waters particularly vulnerable to attack
The UK has signed a “rebooted” defence agreement with Dublin that could mean the Royal Navy responding to hostile ships and other issues in Irish waters.
The deal, announced at the second post-Brexit Ireland-UK summit, held in Cork on Friday, updates a 2016 agreement to include cyber-threats and the sabotage of critical internet and electricity undersea cables.
It comes after a series of incidents in the Irish Sea in the last 18 months, including the escorting of a Russian spy ship after it entered and patrolled an area containing critical energy and internet submarine pipelines and cables.
In an apparent reference to Russia, the taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said: “We know what’s happened in other seas where there has been interventions, we know that certain elements have been observing the cables and other vital infrastructure, and so that’s the context, and it’s to protect that and to make sure we can respond effectively if an event was to happen.”
