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Ireland’s lack of focus on maritime security encapsulated by two events 400km apart

As the crew of the LÉ George Bernard Shaw marched in a Patrick’s Day parade, the search for a huge cocaine shipment continued in Cork

Six men were arrested after gardaí stopped and searched a camper van in Leap, Co Cork
Six men were arrested after gardaí stopped and searched a camper van in Leap, Co Cork
Conor Gallagher's picture
Conor Gallagher
Mon Mar 18 2024 - 05:30

This weekend, looking dashing in their crisp blue uniforms, the crew of Ireland’s only active naval ship, the LÉ George Bernard Shaw, marched in the Dún Laoghaire St Patrick’s Day parade. Throughout the weekend locals and tourists also had an opportunity to tour the 90m vessel which docked in the town’s harbour last Friday.

Meanwhile some 400km away, off the coast of west Cork, without the aid of a naval vessel, gardaí and Naval Service personnel were scouring the sea for signs of a multimillion cocaine shipment which had been dumped overboard by a criminal gang.

It is difficult to think of a more apt illustration of how little the State values both the Naval Service and matters of maritime security. Instead of helping to search thousands of square miles of ocean the country’s only available navy vessel was being used as a tourist attraction.

Since the latest depletion of its operational capacities last year the Naval Service should in theory be able to deploy two ships at any one time. However, more often than not just one is available for patrol. For the last three weeks the LÉ George Bernard Shaw has been the only deployed vessel, responsible for covering over 430,000 square kilometres of water. On occasion no ships are out.

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In their 1969 song The Irish Navy the Dubliners mocked the Naval Service and its tiny flotilla of ships: “The Clíona, the Maev and the Mucha, the pride of the Irish navy. When the Captain he blows on his whistle. All the sailors go home for their tea.”

What would they make of it today when instead of three ships there’s one?

[ Naval Service’s single ship unavailable for Cork drugs search due to St Patrick’s Day celebrations  ]

As a militarily non-aligned country, far away from any potential enemies, it could be argued there is little reason for a large navy. After all the State got by without any navy whatsoever for the first 24 years of it’s existence.

But that ignores the many modern threats the country faces, including Russia’s mapping of our undersea cables and the increasing use of Ireland’s coastline to smuggle contraband into Europe. The scale of that latter threat was evident in the area around Skibbereen last week when gardaí arrested 10 men they suspected were trying to pick up a huge consignment of cocaine which had been dumped off the Cork coast.

Other examples are easy to find. Last month officials in Cork found €33 million worth of crystal meth which they believe was smuggled into Ireland by a Mexican cartel for onward shipment to Australia.

In September the Defence Forces, Garda and Revenue launched a complex and successful operation to intercept the MV Matthew, which was transporting over two tonnes of cocaine. Just one naval ship was available for the operation, unlike previous interdictions which involved multiple vessels.

The Government claims these interceptions prove the system is working and that Ireland has the drug smugglers in check. But that doesn’t hold water. Criminals are rational creatures; they wouldn’t keep using Ireland as a transit point for their drugs unless they are almost certain they won’t be caught. It is impossible to be sure but reasonable to speculate that the drugs which have been seized are only the tip of the iceberg.

It’s equally reasonable to assume the drug gangs are aware of Ireland’s paltry naval presence and are taking advantage of it.

There are other factors at play. In recent years production of cocaine in South America has increased massively. Smugglers have also shifted their focus from southern Europe to container ports in the north, meaning more product is coming through Ireland’s exclusive economic zone. In response security at these northern European ports has been stepped up. This has caused criminals to increasingly drop their drugs at sea, where they are then picked up by smugglers in smaller craft.

If there is a crackdown on this method they will quickly change to another. International drugs gangs will always look for the weakest link. Right now, thanks in part to the precarious state of its navy, that link is Ireland.