Arrangements between Ireland and the Royal Air Force have been treated like the “third secret of Fatima”, the Dáil has heard.
Independent TD Cathal Berry, who is a former member of the Defence Forces, said it was very normal to enter into such arrangements and the State had to be more open and honest about them.
Mr Berry was speaking during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil on Wednesday, after The Irish Times reported this week about an air defence agreement, in place since 1952, which allows the UK to police the country’s airspace despite concerns over the accord being raised over the years by ministers and military officers.
Mr Berry said while the State should have its own air policing service, it was “completely reasonable”, “rational” and “responsible” that in the interim a neighbouring country with surplus capacity “cover for us for a couple of years until we establish our own service”.
“I very much welcome that there is at least some indication that there is an arrangement in place with the Royal Air Force and this country,” the Kildare South TD said.
“What I don’t like is the ambiguity surrounding it. It’s being treated like the third secret of Fatima all over again and it doesn’t have to be that. It’s very normal to enter into these relationships. I think we should be much more open and much more honest in that regard.”
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In response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the State was going to build up its Air Corps and radar capability “so that we have an air force”.
“It will be a small air force appropriate for a country of five million people and even then, not just on an interim basis, but long-term, we will need to have arrangements and co-operation with our neighbours and also our partners in the European Union, particularly through Pesco [Permanent Structured Co-operation] and in Nato through the Partnership for Peace,” he said.
“There’s nothing strange about those arrangements. I think they’re entirely appropriate.”
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin said on Tuesday there may have been occasions in the past where RAF jets had entered Irish airspace “for different reasons”.
Mr Martin said reports of a deal between Ireland and the UK, allowing the RAF to intervene in Irish airspace in the event of an attack, were inaccurate, but declined to elaborate.
“We don’t talk about national security but any agreements Government enters into are fully aligned with national sovereignty and sovereign decision-making and with military neutrality,” he said.
