Ireland has entered a new agreement with Nato aimed at protecting subsea infrastructure and countering threats from aggressive nations such as Russia.
The new streamlined agreement, replaces a more complex collection of protocols between Ireland and Nato. It will last until 2028 and will give Ireland greater access to Nato resources, including sensitive intelligence. However, the Government insists it is not a step towards full membership of the defence alliance.
It comes as an influential, conservative UK think tank accused Ireland this week of “freeloading” off Nato and posing as a “backdoor” threat to UK security from Russian, Chinese and Iranian actors.
In that report’s foreword, two former UK defence secretaries said: “The Republic plays very little part in European defence co-operation; its forces, especially maritime, need rapid strengthening to be capable of defending against today’s threats.”
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Ireland has been a partner nation with Nato since 1999 when it joined the Partnership for Peace programme to increase interoperability with other western militaries.
Under the new protocol, interactions with the Alliance will now take place under the Individual Tailored Partnership Programme (ITPP) which was set out at the 2022 Madrid Nato Summit as a means of increasing Nato co-operation with partner nations.
As part of the new programme, Irish and Nato officials have agreed several areas of co-operation aimed at improving Irish military preparedness.
The list of areas of co-operation are classified, but it is understood they include cybersecurity, protecting critical infrastructure and enhancing maritime security.
A major focus of the agreement is countering hybrid threats potentially posed by hostile actors such as Russia, including election interference and disinformation.
The 2022 Commission on the Defence Forces report warned of the risks of increasingly aggressive countries such as China and Russia and the growing possibility of Ireland being targeted by hybrid aggression.
A Russian-based gang was behind the devastating 2021 cyberattack on the HSE, while Russian warships have frequently been sighted in Irish-controlled waters in recent years, raising concerns about threats to sub-sea infrastructure.
However, it is understood the new agreement does not mention Russia by name.
The agreement also focuses on non-military areas of co-operation, including building up civilian resilience by, for example, educating the public what to do in the event of a major disaster or how to spot targeted disinformation.
The ITPP agreement involves three stages. In the first stage, Irish officials set the goals they want to achieve. In the second stage, these goals are implemented, and in the third stage they are subject to assessment by Nato officials. At the end of the four-year cycle a new set of goals is set.
Several other non-Nato countries, including other European neutrals, have already started or are about to start a version of the ITPP agreement with Nato, including Austria, Switzerland, Malta, Australia and Japan.
The agreement will also allow for greater co-operation and information sharing with these non-Nato partners.
Department of Defence officials see the new agreement as key to ensuring that the Defence Forces remain capable of operating alongside other Nato partners during peacekeeping missions and any future deployments of the EU Battlegroups.
The Defence Forces has committed almost 200 troops to the EU Battlegroup for the next two years.
A Department of Defence spokesman said the Government has “no plans” to join Nato and that the new agreement is “partner led and completely voluntary in nature.”
“Participation in the ITPP does not signal an intent to join Nato, but rather to enhance our engagement in areas of co-operation of clear interest to Ireland.”
He said following the 2022 summit, “the opportunities for engagement by partners have increased substantially”.
As well as improving security, the agreement will also “address the impact of conflict on women and girls through the women, peace and security agenda”, the spokesman said.
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