Tánaiste to launch country's first maritime security plan
A public consultation on Ireland's first ever National Maritime Security Strategy is due to be launched Tánaiste Simon Harris.
The strategy will inform Ireland's approach to maritime security over the next five years, with a particular focus on dealing with emerging threats and protecting our subsea infrastructure.
Ireland's maritime area is seven times greater than its landmass, with 90% of Ireland's trade by volume transported by the sea and over 95% of international data and voice transfers routed through undersea fibre optic cables.
Mr Harris, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Minister, will announce the details of a four-week consultation on a new maritime security strategy in the Dáil.
He is of the view that it is vital for Ireland to have a robust and effective strategy in place speedily and wants an open and constructive approach to the four-week public consultation.
The target is to have a new maritime security strategy published before the end of the year.
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