Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 22 Jan 2022
RUSSIAN BOMBERS and naval ships are set to test missiles off the coast of Ireland.
The Journal has learned that the Irish Government has received a warning of a major exercise by the Russian navy and air force in the Atlantic off the South West coast.
The missile test, or range practice as it is known in military terms, will take place in international waters off the coast of County Cork in the first week of February.
The missiles are expected to be launched by ships and from aircraft although exact details are not known.
The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed that it is to re-route commercial flights and issue a warning.
Exclusive Economic Zone
The area concerned is a relatively small area of water but sources have confirmed that it is within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone – which is patrolled by Irish Naval ships and Air Corps Casa aircraft. It is located approximately 240 kilometres off the Irish coast.
An Exclusive Economic Zone is an area which Ireland has responsibility for and has rights to explore and operate in as a sovereign country.
“There will be a need to issue a notice to commercial pilots to warn them of this issue and there will be a closure of airspace.
“It would be expected from other European member states that we would be able to monitor these types of activities within our area of operations from both an environmental and a security perspective.
“A major oil spill previously occurred from a Russian vessel off our coast in 2009 and the Defence Forces were involved in monitoring it.
“But with no primary radar, a limited number of maritime patrol aircraft and the majority of our naval fleet tied up – it is very difficult to monitor anything on this scale,” a security source said.
The latest development comes as the Russian Government announced that it will carry out exercises with all its naval fleets across the world.
The State owned Taas News Agency reported that the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement that the drills will begin at the end of January and conclude in February.
The manoeuvres will take place off the coast of Russia and also in the Mediterranean, the North Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific.
In November Russia tested a number of missile systems including hypersonic and anti-satellite devices in space.
Russian bombers have flown above the Atlantic and down the West Coast of Ireland in recent years with the British RAF sending fighters to monitor the aircraft.
International tensions
International tensions between Russia and Western Bloc countries are at a peak as fears grow of a Russian invasion of Ukraine which is linked to the potential expansion of NATO.
There have also been accusations that Russian hackers had targeted critical Norwegian infrastructure in recent weeks.
Cathal Berry, TD, a former Defence Forces Officer, has warned in the Dáil of the danger of the Ukrainian situation for Ireland.
“This is a range practice. This is what the great powers do, the exercise is posturing and is about messaging directly with European powers,” he told The Journal today.
“The location is not an accident and has been entirely anticipated – they could be doing this off the coast of Murmansk but have chosen the Atlantic instead. There has been an increased number of incursions in to this area and near to Irish airspace.
“The concern from a military perspective is that an exercise is a very easy way to assemble large amounts of military assets into an area under false pretences and be a precursor to other activities.
“It is not unprecedented, but it is unusual to see it so close to the Irish area of economic responsibility.”
Deputy Berry said the potential threat to Irish sovereignty has been caused by an under resourced defence response.
“We took a gamble on peace in Europe, that it would always be there and we were wrong – a single event like this is the classic moment when the gambler has put all his money on one prediction with the consequence of potentially losing everything.
“Our navy is under equipped and undermanned, our Air Corps have no response capability but we will have to send out someone to monitor this when it happens.
“But the issue is we are the weakest link in European defence and this kind of incident shows that clearly,” he added.
The Department of Transport said: “Management of Irish Air Traffic Control Airspace is a matter for the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).
“The IAA has advised the Department that the safety of civil aircraft operations will not be impacted by the proposed military activity, as all civilian aircraft will be routed away from the area.”
Warning
The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed that a warning, known as a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM), is to be issued to commercial aviation.
“The IAA has been made aware via the normal international processes for such events in International Waters regarding a Russian navy artillery test 240 kilometres off the south west coast of Ireland in early February.
“An ICAO NOTAM will be published to provide notification to pilots of the activity. The publication of a NOTAM for these type of activities is a well established process which has associated Pilot and Air Traffic Control procedures to ensure that there will be no impact to the safety of civil aircraft operations.
“Although the efficiency of aircraft routing may be affected, the safety of operations within Irish Air Traffic Control Airspace will not be impacted, as all civilian aircraft will be routed away from this area during the activity.
“While not common, notifications for similar activity in International Waters within Irish controlled airspace are received from time to time from other jurisdictions and the same procedures are applied to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft at all times,” the IAA statement said.
The Russian Embassy in Dublin has described the reports of missile testing as “fake news” – they did not elaborate on the reason for this claim.
Concerns
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Saturday evening that it was aware of the Russian naval exercises and has raised “concerns” with Moscow.
“The location where the exercises are taking place is approximately 240 kilometres off the south west coast and within Ireland’s 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but not in Ireland’s territorial waters.
“Under international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), states are entitled to carry out naval exercises in another state’s EEZ. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) were informed of the exercise via standard procedures.
“In light of the current political and security environment in Europe, the Department of Foreign Affairs has raised a number of concerns with the Russian authorities and discussions will continue,” she said.
‘Hugely concerning’
Reacting to The Journal’s story, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on defence Sorca Clarke said she is “deeply concerned” by the development.
“The lack of primary radar is the reason other state entities have been probing our airspace for years with high-altitude bombers and escorts. These foreign aircraft can see us but we cannot see them.
“While the 2015 White Paper recognises that radar surveillance is a priority, there has been no meaningful action by Government since then to deliver on it. Our Naval Service is now understaffed and under-equipped with no capability to see below sea level and normal operation of units is an ongoing issue.
“Our own Defence Forces staffing levels have been impacted by reducing numbers over the last number of years and it is an area of concern repeatedly highlighted by representative bodies.”
Clarke added that reports of naval service ships being anchored or running on skeleton crews due to severe understaffing are “hugely worrying”.
“International testing exercises, such as these latest reports from Russia, are placing increased pressure on our already over-stretched Defence Forces that successive governments have failed to invest in and support properly,” she said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Why is it a smear when a person like David Norris is asked questions about things he DID say? Just wondering. He would be one of my favoured candidates but I just don’t get this whole “smear” thing, I believe Everyone should be held to account for opinions they express no matter what their background or stance is.
I suggest you read the following article from the Independent and bet a better perspective: http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/sad-truth-is-that-attacks-on-norris-are-sparked-by-his-homosexuality-2672579.html
To quote one section: “…as I know, other prospective candidates to be President of Ireland have never been asked about the issues raised with Norris.
The other candidates have not been asked because, insofar as I know, they are neither homosexual nor lesbian and, therefore, the media do not seek to canvass their views on matters related to sexuality.
It is only because Norris is a homosexual that the media feel free to ask him about matters related to sexuality; but because other prospective candidates are not homosexual, the media has not, and will not, ask them about such deeply personal matters.
There is a huge contradiction in that.
The only conclusion is this: homosexuality or lesbianism or bi-sexuality are still felt by sections of the public, and the media, to be in some way out-of-step, unusual or perhaps even deviant. How depressing.
What is happening to Norris right now is desperately unfair.”
The issue is more that of the article being taken out of context and being moulded to portray a decent honorable man as a pedophile. The whole matter would be sorted if Helen Lucy burke provided the tapes of the interview which she won’t. First she couldnt find them then she did but didn’t have a tape recorder and then all of a sudden they were water damaged to lost again. Norris was all over the media 10 years ago clarifying his views and did a 2nd interview with Joe Jackson.
Its a smear campaign coz for example with the age of consent he was referring to teenagers having sex and being prosecuted but helen Lucy burke wrote that he didn’t want an age of consent at all which is wrong. She has an agenda of some sort. I really think that religious nut jobs don’t want him as president coz hes gay. The man would do an amazing job as president. And between this and fine gael actively trying to stop him getting nominated is disgusting.
@biggins see this is what I don’t get, David Norris is obviously going to get questioned about anything that makes him unique in the running, just like pat cox has got questioned and criticised about being pro Europe. But rather than embrace the questioning it is moulded into a smear campaign. I don’t care about anyone’s sexual preference, I would however as an Irish citizen like to know what David Norris meant when he spoke about Greek culture etc, are you suggesting that David Norris should not have to answer or clarify his comments because of his sexual preference?
@Biggins31. If any of the other candidates have uttered views that are similar to Norris, have no doubt that they will be brought to light. Norris was quiet clearing in his words and expressing his views. That many people have felt that those views are very wrong is unsurprising. Have there been some homophobes that have decided to get on that band wagon, certainly. It is also true that Davis is getting as much support purely for his sexuality as he is opposition. One being as wrong as the others, the man’s views are what defines his politics and suitability. Irregardless of what you think of his views on Peadophilia or Pederasty he has shown a profound lack of cop by not knowing when to shut his mouth. He only has himself to blame and putting all this down to homophobia or Christian fundementalists is clutching at straws and looking for bogeymen to square a circle in your own mind.
And if there is a contradiction on any side it’s on the side of Norris thinking he should not have to answer questions on something he said, when his whole political life, he admireably has always fought for questions to be answered!
He did answer them. Seriously have you not listened to any of the interviews he’s done!!! He clearly explains his views and answers all questions in relation to that article. He was on pat Kenny radio show and morning Ireland I think look it up on RTE!
@David I heard him on newstalk where when questioned on it he said and I quote “I am not going to get drawn into this attempt at a smear campaign”. The words “smear campaign” were also bandied about before he ever attempted at answering questions at what was either a very naive or dangerous thing for a political figure to say. Either way his reaction has filled me with 0 confidence in him, something I would love to have cause I think behind the naivety and rashness he is prob the best candidate for the Irish citizen.
Well I suggest you listen to the other 2 interviews I mentioned before forming your conclusion.
Norris has answered questions for weeks upon weeks.
It got so repetitive that people were turning off/out with annoyance and by association away from the likelihood of voting for Norris.
…So the old woman’s tactics, who re-dug up her unsubstantiated crap and later could not provide the FULL record of the conversation (convenient – especially if they were to show he said something more cleared on the day all those years back) was/is working – trying to turn people away from Norris and/or use him for some twisted old agenda in her weird mind!
its no wonder Norris after a month of the same questions regurgitated by the rags papers, wanted to shut-up and concentrate on the more modern actual issues that Ireland needs to tackle in the present climate of economic uncertainty.
I didn’t form a conclusion, I merely stated what I have heard, read and seen. And gave my opinion based on those. I have also stated that David Norris is someone I hold in high regard and would consider him to be one of the better candidates for the presidency. It just bothers me slightly when the “smear” card is pulled by his supporters when people just would like to hear explanations on certain comments made by him. If he hasn’t explained things properly – anytime I have listened to him or read pieces on him and haven’t got an explanation for his pretty ridiculous remarks, then that’s his fault not mine, I am sure any good PR rep will tell you the same! Attacking and ridiculing people for questioning him and his remarks because of one journalists piece is pretty ridiculous. He did after all get himself into the hole he is in!
Ok seriously I wasn’t attacking you I said listen to the 2 radio interviews he did and you will hear the exact Information you are looking for. There’s no point saying he hasn’t explained himself when he clearly has. No point moaning you don’t have the information when its accessible to you.
Dave, apologies I didn’t mean you or me, I mean as a whole his supporters. I am not moaning either by the way. That again is language too common in this debate!
Let’s be fair here, his words were completely twisted. If you truly feel that he was a supporter of paedophilia, why would you vote for him?
There is no stitch up of David Norris for this campaign. I hope the Gay and lesbian community stop this daft nonsense condemning people for hunting down Norris because he is gay. The reason why Norris is under pressure is because in every electoral campaign candidates know they are going to face a grilling about their past, what they said and did not say and what they are going to do in the future. The biggest problem with Norris is not his homosexuality, but his mouth!What he said in that article was stupid. This man is too erratic to fill this position,not because he is gay. Get a grip please gay community, there will be a time when there will be a gay person who will be president, but that time is not now because Norris is not the right candidate.
David Norris is without doubt one of the most ebullient, entertaining, academic and thought provoking public figures of our time. I don’t give a fiddler’s what his sexuality is, and I have no doubt that a gay person would make as good, or bad, a President as a heterosexual person. What I’m more interested in is a candidate that has the potential to continue on the legacy of our last, and our current, President. Their legacy has not been one of flamboyance, but rather of quietly developing a much more tolerant and considerate society that reflects the Irish culture and history of growth and change for the greater good, in a political environment where practitioners appear to live in another universe removed from reality that firstly preserves itself. If David Norris can prove toe that he can do that, then he gets my vote. Being part of, although also apart from at times, that dysfunctional dinosaur that is Seanad Eireann, does not inspire me. Aside from Michael D, who has also contributed handsomely to the political self preservation lot, the evolving list of ‘would-be’s leave more questions than answers. God preserve us!
Micheal. I think that you are comparing Apples and Oranges, you presume that the main reason behind the Norris event is his sexuality. I profoundly disagree, it is his views that are shocking. How can people feel that it is acceptable to believe that Paedophiles are demonized by the media as evil. How is that not one of the most shocking views that an Irish politician has given in 50 years, especially after the awful abuse by the Church. He did great work in the 80′s challenging a discriminatory and foolish law. Young people are perfectly safe around gay people, certainly safe around Norris but if any other politician had said these, their career would have been over, irregardless of their sexuality, gender or political views.
I think the most worrying aspect of all of this is this just displays yet again that Irish politicians think they can go around and say what they want and then refuse to answer questions on same at their own behest. They really believe they live in an alternative reality!
At this moment in time, I see no reason to vote for David Norris. I’m not going to decide to vote for him, purely because he’s a homosexual – that is the most irrelevant reason to vote for anyone. Mary Robinson did not get elected for being a woman – she got elected for the hard work she did, and promised to do, in relation to Human Rights in Ireland and around the world. Her gender did not matter. The whole campaign has been, almost from the start, based upon his sexual orientation.
Norris needs to rescue his campaign and fast. I know that he probably has policies which are credible and relevant, but he need to make sure that the are heard – right now they are being drowned out by these other irrelevances. He still has time, and can pull this through, but it will require work – but if he does it, the presidency will be his for the taking.
Hear! Hear! Michael I was incensed to read about the so called “christian” newspaper articles really? Is this the same institution that is responsible for abusing so many of our young people in horrific ways with far reaching consequences, …that means that so many of them have ended up being life long users of mental health services. In my experience as a mental health professional, young people do not feel suicidal or commit suicide because they have “lost their religion” its for a number of very complex reasons. It is also a fact from my experience that some of the people that I work with, feel suicidal and depressed because of what was done to them as children by some people purporting to be “christians”. Keep up the good work MIchael and all at Belong To.
He has not denied he said those things, so how can he be ‘smeared’ by the truth?
This main reason we are hearing about his ‘sexuality’ is because he and his campaigners think it will attract votes, not because others are condemning him for it.
What worries me is that he could not bring himself to state unequivocally that sex between children and much older adults was always wrong.
So, a country with one of the worst records for child sexual abuse is being urged to vote for a man who is ambiguous about such things?
That will be what will make headlines around the world if he is elected, not how he was a liberal/gay rights campaigner.
And it will not die down. For years and years, every time he makes a foreign visit, he will face the same scrutiny and allegations in foreign media.
Haven’t we got enough trouble already?
have your say