Latest news with #ArmyRangerWing
Irish Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kinahan cartel associates hell-bent on revenge after Irish pub shooting in Spain
Associates of the Kinahan cartel are hell-bent on revenge after two senior members of their gang were shot dead in an Irish pub on the Costa del Sol, insiders fear. Underworld sources have told The Irish Mirror that they fear the deadly Lyons gang will now seek bloody revenge for the shock slaying of Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr at a pub in Fuengirola near Malaga on Saturday night. The Lyons gang – one of Scotland's most deadly crime outfits – has been left reeling following the double murder as the pair watched the Champions League final at Monaghan's pub on Saturday night. Irish underworld sources say leaders of the gang are closely associated with mob boss Daniel Kinahan – and they will not let the killings go unanswered. "There will be hell to pay over this. The Lyons lads will not let this go," one source said. "They will be baying for blood and it is more likely to happen in Spain than anywhere else. That is the fear." We revealed yesterday that Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan were key members of the gang that worked with Kinahan, 47, on the massive cocaine shipment that was seized by the Army Ranger Wing off the south coast almost two years ago. Underworld sources told us the gang the men worked for teamed up with the Kinahan cartel to organise the huge, 2.5 tonnes shipment of cocaine - worth up to €450 million on the streets - seized by the ARW on the MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023. Eight men have pleaded guilty over the MV Matthew plot - and are due to be sentenced at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin later this week. Sources say gardai are satisfied the killing of the two Scottish criminals outside a bar in Fuengirola was not connected to the MV Matthew haul - or the Kinahan cartel itself. Instead, they are believed to have been targeted as part of an ongoing feud between Scottish gangs. Now there are real fears that the simmering Scottish feud will erupt into more violence in Scotland. The pair were shot dead after watching the Champions League final at Monaghan's Pub in Fuengirola. A masked gunman jumped out of a vehicle at 11.30pm, fired several rounds at the entrance of the bar, striking one of the men in the chest and the other in the chest and abdomen. The gunman then fled in the same vehicle which was driven by an accomplice - leaving tourists and expats in the bar terrified. The shootings are linked to Scotland's ongoing gangland war which has seen attacks on homes and properties linked to Glasgow's Daniel crime clan. Harrowing images from the scene show a man lying lifeless on his back in shorts and a T-shirt, next to a chalkboard on a terrace outside the Irish bar. In other images, police and paramedics can be seen surrounding the body of one of the victims, thought to be the same man, after he was covered under a blanket as shocked locals and holidaymakers looked on. Monaghan was previously cleared of the murder of notorious Glasgow hood Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll, who was shot dead in a gangland assassination in the Asda Robroyston carpark in 2010. He was tried for the killing, but was acquitted in May 2012. He was also cleared of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two guns used in the shooting and torching the getaway car. In August 2017, Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were both cleared of being involved in a brutal street attack on three men outside the Campsie bar in Bishopbriggs. The brutal ambush left one of the victim's ears hanging off. However, the case collapsed after prosecutors withdrew the charges against them following two days of evidence. Monaghan had also survived a previous murder attempt. In 2017, he was shot by a gunman disguised as a pram-pushing dad outside St George's Primary School in Glasgow. Eddie Lyons Jnr was a key figure in his family's crime clan with his brother Steven Lyons now living in Dubai - where he is said to be close to Daniel Kinahan, who is holed up there with his father Christy, 67, and brother Christopher, 44. The shock Costa Del Sol killings come amidst a violent gang war that has been raging in Scotland since March. The feud first erupted following a fallout between rival gangsters after a €600k stash of cocaine was reportedly swiped from under the nose of Dubai-based Mr Big, Ross McGill. The drugs were reportedly taken by caged Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson's foot soldiers sparking a series of violent attacks on homes and businesses. McGill has waged war on Richardson and his associates, including the Daniel crime clan in Glasgow. Mr Big's enforcers, a faceless and frightening group going by the name of Tamo Junto (TMJ), have carried out a series of fire bombings and other vicious attacks on homes, businesses and cars associated with Richardson and the Daniel clan. Last week, it emerged that McGill had agreed to end hostilities after being leaned on by cartel bosses in Dubai. However gangland enforcers Tamo Junto (TMJ) quickly quashed any talk of peace as they vowed to continue to carry out the turf war.
Wales Online
20 hours ago
- Wales Online
Manhunt launched for hit team after two infamous Scottish gangsters shot outside Costa del Sol pub
Manhunt launched for hit team after two infamous Scottish gangsters shot outside Costa del Sol pub Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan were shot dead outside a pub in Spain on Saturday night The drama is said to have occurred at the door of Monaghans Fuengirola (Image: ) Spanish police have launched a manhunt for the people responsible for the murder of two Scottish associates of mob leader Daniel Kinahan, which took place outside an Irish pub on the Costa del Sol. Insiders from the criminal underworld revealed that Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan - who were gunned down on Saturday evening - were integral members of a gang that worked with 47-year-old Kinahan on a substantial cocaine shipment intercepted by the Army Ranger Wing off the southern coast nearly two years ago. These sources allege that the men's gang joined forces with the Kinahan cartel to orchestrate the colossal 2.5-tonne cocaine shipment - estimated to be worth up to €450 million on the streets - seized by the ARW aboard the MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023. Eight individuals have admitted their involvement in the MV Matthew scheme and are set to receive their sentences at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin later this week. However, insiders suggest that Gardai are confident that the execution of the two Scottish criminals outside a Fuengirola bar is unrelated to either the MV Matthew haul or the Kinahan cartel itself, reports the Irish Mirror. Instead, it is thought that they were targeted as part of an ongoing dispute among Scottish gangs. Underworld sources assert that crime bosses Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were fatally shot after watching the Champions League final at Monaghan's Pub in Fuengirola. Article continues below Ross Monaghan (L) and Eddie Lyons Jnr (Image: Daily Record ) Local reports indicate that a masked shooter emerged from a vehicle at around 11.30pm, firing several shots towards the entrance of the pub, hitting one man in the chest and the other in both the chest and abdomen. The gunman escaped in a vehicle driven by an accomplice, creating panic among tourists and expatriates present in the bar. Sources have linked the violent shooting to the ongoing feud within Scotland's criminal underworld, which has recently seen attacks on homes and properties associated with Glasgow's notorious Daniel crime clan. Monaghan, who left Scotland in 2017, is registered as the proprietor of the bar in question according to an online business directory. Spanish officials have verified that both individuals who lost their lives in the attack were Scottish nationals. Distressing pictures captured at the scene depict a motionless man sprawled on the pavement, dressed only in summer attire, adjacent to a blackboard on the pub's terrace. Other alarming photos show first responders and law enforcement officers surrounding the body of one of the victims, thought to be the same man, after he was covered under a blanket as shocked locals and holidaymakers looked on. Following the incident, local police initiated roadblocks in an effort to apprehend those responsible. A spokesperson for the Spanish National Police in Malaga stated: "Around midnight an incident with firearms occurred in Fuengirola, specifically at an entertainment venue along the seafront. "Two males died as a result from gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made so far." Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here Monaghan was previously cleared of the murder of notorious Glasgow hood Kevin "Gerbil" Carroll, who was shot dead in a gangland assassination in the Asda Robroyston carpark in 2010. He was tried for the killing but was acquitted in May 2012. He was also cleared of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two guns used in the shooting and torching the getaway car. In August 2017, Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were both acquitted of involvement in a savage street assault on three men outside the Campsie bar in Bishopbriggs, which resulted in one victim's ear being nearly severed. The case, however, fell apart when prosecutors dropped the charges against them after just two days of evidence. Monaghan had also survived a previous murder attempt. In 2017, he was targeted by a shooter disguised as a pram-pushing father near St George's Primary School in Glasgow. Eddie Lyons Jnr was a key figure in his family's crime clan with his brother Steven Lyons now living in Dubai - where he is said to be close to Daniel Kinahan, who is holed up there with his father Christy, 67, and brother Christopher, 44. "Steve Lyons is very close with Daniel," an informant disclosed to The Mirror/Star last night. "They worked together on the (MV Matthew) and after it was busted, Steve fled Britain to Dubai. He linked up with Daniel over there. They are close." The shocking murders on the Costa Del Sol have come amid a brutal gang conflict that has been tearing through Scotland since March. The violent dispute reportedly ignited following a disagreement among rival criminals after a €600k cocaine haul was purportedly stolen from Ross McGill, a notorious figure based in Dubai. The drugs were reportedly taken by caged Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson's foot soldiers sparking a series of violent attacks on homes and businesses. The ongoing feud between McGill and Richardson, along with their respective allies including the Daniel crime family in Glasgow, has escalated into open warfare. The shadowy and menacing group known as Tamo Junto (TMJ) is reported to have executed a series of arson attacks and brutal assaults linked to both Richardson and the Daniels. It was revealed last week that McGill had seemingly bowed to pressure from cartel leaders in Dubai to cease hostilities. Yet, despite these developments, the gangland enforcers of Tamo Junto (TMJ) dismissed any notion of a ceasefire, declaring their intent to persist in the conflict. A statement broadcasted by the TMJ gang last Friday made it clear that any affiliates of the Daniel Clan or Mark Richardson continue to be in their crosshairs. They said: "TMJ will continue to target anyone associated with the Daniel family or Mark Richardson. There will never be a truce between TMJ and the Gremlins. "We have terrorised you since March and will continue to do so." The Lyons crime gang was said to have pulled out of the feud over concerns about the police crack down Allegations suggest that the Lyons were supplying McGill with intelligence on the Daniel family; however, Steven Lyons, 44, the head of the clan, has reportedly decided to focus on his own ventures. Meanwhile, eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying moment they found themselves in the crossfire at the Irish pub. A neighbour close to the incident reported to Malaga Hoy: "I thought they were going to me kill me too." The resident initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks before realising the true source of the chaos: "I thought I was hearing fireworks at first but then saw the noise was coming from someone firing a gun." A Chinese shopkeeper, whose business is adjacent to the bar, described the late-night disturbance: "It was about 11.30pm when I heard a noise coming from next door." "I looked out and saw a man pointing at something and shooting." He relayed his experience during the mayhem, as people fled and one family sought shelter in his shop, adding: "I didn't look at the gunman's face or whether he left on a motorbike or in a car, I just remember I saw the weapon." "I was in shock, I didn't how to react." Personnel from a beachfront bar and restaurant also shared accounts of families with children seeking refuge within their establishment as the shooting unfolded. One staff member said: "I didn't see anything because we focused on crouching down and staying safe, but it was a very frightening experience." Article continues below "Obviously all the customers we had left as soon as it was safe to do so." There are now fears that the Lyons gang will seek bloody retribution for the double slaying - either in Spain or Scotland.
Dublin Live
a day ago
- Dublin Live
Spanish cops launch manhunt for hit team that murdered Kinahan allies in Costa del Sol
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Spanish cops have launched a manhunt for a hit team that murdered two Scottish allies of mob boss Daniel Kinahan outside an Irish pub on the Costa del Sol. And underworld sources last night said Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan - shot dead on Saturday night - were key members of the gang that worked with Kinahan, 47, on a massive cocaine shipment that was seized by the Army Ranger Wing off the south coast almost two years ago. They claimed the gang for which the men worked teamed up with the Kinahan cartel to organise the huge, 2.5-tonne shipment of cocaine - worth up to €450 million on the streets - seized by the ARW on the MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023. Eight men have pleaded guilty over the MV Matthew plot - and are due to be sentenced at the non jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin later this week. Sources say gardai are satisfied the killing of the two Scottish criminals outside a bar in Fuengirola was not connected to the MV Matthew haul - or the Kinahan cartel itself. Instead, they are believed to have been targeted as part of an ongoing feud between Scottish gangs. Underworld sources claim crime kingpins Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were shot dead after watching the Champions League final at Monaghan's Pub in Fuengirola. According to local reports, a masked gunman jumped out of a vehicle at 11.30pm, fired several rounds at the entrance of the bar, striking one of the men in the chest and the other in the chest and abdomen. The gunman then fled in the same vehicle which was driven by an accomplice - leaving tourists and expats in the bar terrified. Sources say the shootings are linked to Scotland's ongoing gangland war which has seen attacks on homes and properties linked to Glasgow's Daniel crime clan. Monaghan, who fled Scotland in 2017, is listed as the proprietor of the bar in an online business directory. Spanish authorities confirmed the two men killed were Scottish. Harrowing images from the scene show a man lying lifeless on his back in shorts and a T-shirt, next to a chalkboard on a terrace outside the Irish bar. In other disturbing images, police and paramedics can be seen surrounding the body of one of the victims, thought to be the same man, after he was covered under a blanket as shocked locals and holidaymakers looked on. The police set up roadblocks after the shooting to try to catch those responsible. A spokesman for the Spanish National Police in Malaga said: "Around midnight an incident with firearms occurred in Fuengirola, specifically at an entertainment venue along the seafront. "Two males died as a result from gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made so far." Monaghan was previously cleared of the murder of notorious Glasgow hood Kevin "Gerbil" Carroll, who was shot dead in a gangland assassination in the Asda Robroyston carpark in 2010. He was tried for the killing, but was acquitted in May 2012. He was also cleared of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two guns used in the shooting and torching the getaway car. In August 2017, Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were both cleared of being involved in a brutal street attack on three men outside the Campsie bar in Bishopbriggs. The brutal ambush left one of the victim's ears hanging off. However, the case collapsed after prosecutors withdrew the charges against them following two days of evidence. Monaghan had also survived a previous murder attempt. In 2017 he was shot by a gunman disguised as a pram pushing dad outside St George's Primary School in Glasgow. Eddie Lyons jnr was a key figure in his family's crime clan with his brother Steven Lyons now living in Dubai - where he is said to be close to Daniel Kinahan, who is holed up there with hisfarther Christy, 67, and brother Christopher, 44. "Steve Lyons is very close with Daniel," a source said last night. "They worked together on the (MV Matthew) and after it was busted, Steve fled Britain to Dubai. "He linked up with Daniel over there. They are close." The shock Costa Del Sol killings come amidst a violent gang war that has been raging in Scotland since March. The feud first erupted following a fallout between rival gangsters after a €600k stash of cocaine was reportedly swiped from under the nose of Dubai-based Mr Big, Ross McGill. The drugs were reportedly taken by caged Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson's foot soldiers sparking a series of violent attacks on homes and businesses. McGill has waged war on Richardson and his associates, including the Daniel crime clan in Glasgow. Mr Big's enforcers, a faceless and frightening group going by the name of Tamo Junto (TMJ), have carried out a series of fire bombings and other vicious attacks on homes, businesses and cars associated with Richardson and the Daniel clan. Last week it emerged that McGill had agreed to end hostilities after being leaned on by cartel bosses in Dubai. However gangland enforcers Tamo Junto (TMJ) quickly quashed any talk of peace as they vowed to continue to carry out the turf war. A video released by the TMJ crime gang on Friday last week stated that anyone linked to the Daniel Clan or Mark Richardson remains a target for their group. They said: "TMJ will continue to target anyone associated with the Daniel family or Mark Richardson. There will never be a truce between TMJ and the Gremlins. "We have terrorised you since March and will continue to do so." The Lyons crime gang was said to have pulled out of the feud over concerns about the police crack down. The clan were allegedly feeding McGill information about their rivals, the Daniel family, but boss Steven Lyons, 44, made the call to concentrate on his own interests. A source said he issued the order over fears his enforcers could be arrested and jailed and his family would lose their grip on power in the north of Glasgow. Meanwhile, witnesses relived their horror after being caught up in the shooting of the two Scottish gangsters outside the Irish bar in Fuengirola. A local living near the scene told local paper Malaga Hoy: "I thought they were going to me kill me too. "I thought I was hearing fireworks at first but then saw the noise was coming from someone firing a gun." A Chinese expat who owns a shop next to the bar said: "It was about 11.30pm when I heard a noise coming from next door. "I looked out and saw a man pointing at something and shooting." Saying he saw other customers run for their lives as the attack occurred and a family walking by took refuge in his shop, he added: "I didn't look at the gunman's face or whether he left on a motorbike or in a car, I just remember I saw the weapon. "I was in shock, I didn't how to react." Workers at a nearby beach bar and restaurant also told how how families with children took refuge inside after the shooting started. One said: "I didn't see anything because we focused on crouching down and staying safe, but it was a very frightening experience. Obviously all the customers we had left as soon as it was safe to do so." There are now fears that the Lyons gang will seek bloody retribution for the double slaying - either in Spain or Scotland. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Manhunt underway for hit team that murdered Kinahan allies in Costa del Sol
Spanish cops have launched a manhunt for a hit team that murdered two Scottish allies of mob boss Daniel Kinahan outside an Irish pub on the Costa del Sol. And underworld sources last night said Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan - shot dead on Saturday night - were key members of the gang that worked with Kinahan, 47, on a massive cocaine shipment that was seized by the Army Ranger Wing off the south coast almost two years ago. They claimed the gang for which the men worked teamed up with the Kinahan cartel to organise the huge, 2.5-tonne shipment of cocaine - worth up to €450 million on the streets - seized by the ARW on the MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023. Eight men have pleaded guilty over the MV Matthew plot - and are due to be sentenced at the non jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin later this week. Sources say gardai are satisfied the killing of the two Scottish criminals outside a bar in Fuengirola was not connected to the MV Matthew haul - or the Kinahan cartel itself. Instead, they are believed to have been targeted as part of an ongoing feud between Scottish gangs. Underworld sources claim crime kingpins Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were shot dead after watching the Champions League final at Monaghan's Pub in Fuengirola. According to local reports, a masked gunman jumped out of a vehicle at 11.30pm, fired several rounds at the entrance of the bar, striking one of the men in the chest and the other in the chest and abdomen. The gunman then fled in the same vehicle which was driven by an accomplice - leaving tourists and expats in the bar terrified. Sources say the shootings are linked to Scotland's ongoing gangland war which has seen attacks on homes and properties linked to Glasgow's Daniel crime clan. Monaghan, who fled Scotland in 2017, is listed as the proprietor of the bar in an online business directory. Spanish authorities confirmed the two men killed were Scottish. Harrowing images from the scene show a man lying lifeless on his back in shorts and a T-shirt, next to a chalkboard on a terrace outside the Irish bar. In other disturbing images, police and paramedics can be seen surrounding the body of one of the victims, thought to be the same man, after he was covered under a blanket as shocked locals and holidaymakers looked on. The police set up roadblocks after the shooting to try to catch those responsible. A spokesman for the Spanish National Police in Malaga said: 'Around midnight an incident with firearms occurred in Fuengirola, specifically at an entertainment venue along the seafront. 'Two males died as a result from gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made so far.' Monaghan was previously cleared of the murder of notorious Glasgow hood Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll, who was shot dead in a gangland assassination in the Asda Robroyston carpark in 2010. He was tried for the killing, but was acquitted in May 2012. He was also cleared of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two guns used in the shooting and torching the getaway car. In August 2017, Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were both cleared of being involved in a brutal street attack on three men outside the Campsie bar in Bishopbriggs. The brutal ambush left one of the victim's ears hanging off. However, the case collapsed after prosecutors withdrew the charges against them following two days of evidence. Monaghan had also survived a previous murder attempt. In 2017 he was shot by a gunman disguised as a pram pushing dad outside St George's Primary School in Glasgow. Eddie Lyons jnr was a key figure in his family's crime clan with his brother Steven Lyons now living in Dubai - where he is said to be close to Daniel Kinahan, who is holed up there with hisfarther Christy, 67, and brother Christopher, 44. 'Steve Lyons is very close with Daniel,' a source told The Mirror?Star last night. 'They worked together on the (MV Matthew) and after it was busted, Steve fled Britain to Dubai. 'He linked up with Daniel over there. They are close.' The shock Costa Del Sol killings come amidst a violent gang war that has been raging in Scotland since March. The feud first erupted following a fallout between rival gangsters after a €600k stash of cocaine was reportedly swiped from under the nose of Dubai-based Mr Big, Ross McGill. The drugs were reportedly taken by caged Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson's foot soldiers sparking a series of violent attacks on homes and businesses. McGill has waged war on Richardson and his associates, including the Daniel crime clan in Glasgow. Mr Big's enforcers, a faceless and frightening group going by the name of Tamo Junto (TMJ), have carried out a series of fire bombings and other vicious attacks on homes, businesses and cars associated with Richardson and the Daniel clan. Last week it emerged that McGill had agreed to end hostilities after being leaned on by cartel bosses in Dubai. However gangland enforcers Tamo Junto (TMJ) quickly quashed any talk of peace as they vowed to continue to carry out the turf war. A video released by the TMJ crime gang on Friday last week stated that anyone linked to the Daniel Clan or Mark Richardson remains a target for their group. They said: 'TMJ will continue to target anyone associated with the Daniel family or Mark Richardson. There will never be a truce between TMJ and the Gremlins. 'We have terrorised you since March and will continue to do so.' The Lyons crime gang was said to have pulled out of the feud over concerns about the police crack down. The clan were allegedly feeding McGill information about their rivals, the Daniel family, but boss Steven Lyons, 44, made the call to concentrate on his own interests. A source said he issued the order over fears his enforcers could be arrested and jailed and his family would lose their grip on power in the north of Glasgow. Meanwhile, witnesses relived their horror after being caught up in the shooting of the two Scottish gangsters outside the Irish bar in Fuengirola. A local living near the scene told local paper Malaga Hoy: 'I thought they were going to me kill me too. 'I thought I was hearing fireworks at first but then saw the noise was coming from someone firing a gun.' A Chinese expat who owns a shop next to the bar said: 'It was about 11.30pm when I heard a noise coming from next door. 'I looked out and saw a man pointing at something and shooting.' Saying he saw other customers run for their lives as the attack occurred and a family walking by took refuge in his shop, he added: 'I didn't look at the gunman's face or whether he left on a motorbike or in a car, I just remember I saw the weapon. 'I was in shock, I didn't how to react.' Workers at a nearby beach bar and restaurant also told how how families with children took refuge inside after the shooting started. One said: 'I didn't see anything because we focused on crouching down and staying safe, but it was a very frightening experience. 'Obviously all the customers we had left as soon as it was safe to do so.' There are now fears that the Lyons gang will seek bloody retribution for the double slaying - either in Spain or Scotland.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Ireland's subsea cables and gas pipelines 'very vulnerable' amid 'non-existent maritime security'
Ireland's critical subsea infrastructure is extremely vulnerable due to the under-resourcing of the Defence Forces and Irish Navy , a former TD and deputy commander of the Army Ranger Wing has warned. Ireland's maritime footprint is seven times the country's land area and is home to the majority of transatlantic data communications . Advertisement For example, the AEC-1 cable connects New York with Ireland, landing at Killala, Co Mayo. It is 5,534 km long and has been operating since 2016. The system primarily serves telecommunications providers, cloud service providers, content delivery networks, and enterprises that require efficient data transport solutions. These undersea cables are crucial to various aspects of daily life, including cloud storage and banking systems. Around three-quarters of Ireland's national gas is also imported via undersea pipelines. Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris has said he expects contract negotiations for the supply of advanced sonar technology to conclude within a number of months. However, the first sonar systems are not expected to be operational until July 2027, meaning Ireland is largely dependent on foreign navies to detect threats. In an interview with , former TD and soldier Cathal Berry said Ireland's undersea cables and gas pipelines are "very vulnerable". Advertisement "All our data centres, all our video footage of our families, our photographs are stored in data centres, not on our phones. We're hugely vulnerable because the umbilical cords between Europe and North America are very vulnerable." "There are about a dozen data cables coming into Ireland. More importantly, we have two gas pipelines coming in from Scotland, which are even more strategically crucial because Ireland has no natural gas." "We're the only EU country without any natural gas reserve. If those two gas pipelines across the Irish Sea were taken out, there would be about eight hours of gas left in the pipes." "About 15 per cent of our supply comes from the Corrib gas field, but that reservoir is drying up too. We also have two electricity interconnectors with the UK, which are important because we need them to balance out the grid." Advertisement "Our critical subsea infrastructure is very vulnerable and exposed, and we're very vulnerable and exposed because we're an island nation and we depend on it." He pointed to the lack of resources available to the Irish Naval Service, which he believes is at its lowest ebb since it was established in 1946. "These energy and data sources come in via the ocean. Unfortunately, our navy is at its lowest ebb — it's never been as poorly resourced." "Twenty-five years ago, when Ireland was a much poorer country, we could land a helicopter on an Irish Navy vessel. Now, we have no maritime helicopter capability and no naval vessel with a helipad." Advertisement "Fifteen years ago, we could put eight ships out to sea. Now, we can barely put out two. We have no permanent presence at sea. That is why drug cartels are taking full advantage — people trafficking, fugitives, guns, any kind of contraband you want. It's open season in Ireland because we have no sovereign force operating at sea." "We really are the weakest link. We're a major hub in international drug trafficking, particularly narcotics coming from South America into Europe. And drugs, like water, will always travel to the point of least resistance. That's why there's a lot of this activity off our coast." Mr Berry added: "If Russia or any country wanted to squeeze America and Europe, they would begin here. We have no Article 5 protection from NATO, and we have a policy of neutrality, but we haven't resourced that policy. It's like having a health or housing policy — if you don't resource it, it won't work." "The big concern is that we will wake up some morning and some of this critical infrastructure has been sabotaged or interfered with. Then there will be a lot of hand-wringing, reports, commissions of inquiry." Advertisement Mr Berry spent 23 years in the Defence Forces. During this time, he spent six years in the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) and served overseas in the Balkans, Africa, and the Middle East. In 2008, he led an ARW company in Chad. 'Decades of neglect' He said "decades of neglect" have led to the recruitment and retention crisis in the Defence Forces. "It's been decades of neglect and indifference, and this is where we are as a result. To be there is definitely a different attitude among Irish ministers who have travelled to Europe in the last five years in particular, they realise the concern Europe has for Ireland. "It's similar to the banking crisis when Europe was telling us 'you're accumulating this massive risk in the banking sector'. Ireland was laughing saying 'we've conquered economics, you're just jealous', then the banking crisis and housing crisis hit. "Our security crisis is no less concerning and it could also end with a catastrophe. "Ireland asked the international community to recognise it over 100 years ago, with that right comes the responsibility to police your own seas and waters." He said the problems facing the Air Corps should be another worry when it comes to the State's security and defence. "What's happening in the Air Corps at the moment, it looks like the maritime patrol squadron will have to relocate to Shannon Airport because the air traffic control tower in Baldonnel is office hours only. "That is saying the maritime squadron and patrolling our territorial waters is not a national priority. "When we were a poorer country we did man Baldonnel properly and we did recognise that there was a need for a properly functioning Air Corps. Up until 1998 we had subsonic jet interceptors, every year it is death by a thousand cuts. "There is €250 million of naval assets lying idle in Cork Harbour at the moment because we don't have the crew to put them to sea." Mr Berry said the current political debate about the triple lock is a "distraction from the real defence and security issues". Former KIldare South TD Cathal Berry was a deputy commander in the Army Ranger Wing. "These are the actual defence issues that matter, the elephant in the room. Unfortunately some politicans and wannabe politicians have gone down the rabbit hold of focusing on an esoteric, academic thing like the triple lock rather than dealing with the actual issues that matter. "The issues are that we can't put our navy to sea, we have no air traffic control in Baldonnel. The only Irish air base at the moment is operating 9-5, office hours only, five days a week. That is a crisis in anyone's language. "Wheter the triple lock stays or goes is irrelevant to me. But if it stays it should be applied to every occupation on the public payroll not just discriminating against soliders, for instance, it should apply to diplomats, politicians, trade missions, civil servants. The idea that it applies only to members of the Defence Forces is completely unnaceptable to me, if other occupations experienced the same level of extreme micro management they would have a very different view on it. "Our very fine soldiers, sailors and aviators have distinguished themselves across the globe for decades. If it is to stay, it should apply to all public occupations with only 12 allowed to travel together." Mr Berry said the Defence Forces is "fundamentally a people business" and that improvements in conditions for members will go a "long way to solving this crisis". 'Three Ps' "A ship, an aircraft, is only as good as the soldier, sailor or aviator crewing it. There hasn't been enough ministerial intervention, particularly over the last 10 years, to solve that problem. Ireland Changes to triple lock 'nothing to do with neutral... Read More "It requires a direct itervention from the Cabinet table to fix this. Our maritime security is almost non-existent. "If you want to solve the people issue it's the three Ps - pay, purpose, pride. "If you pay tecnichians and specialists propertly they will stay in the navy, if you provide people with the right resources they will have purpose. "Solve the pay and purpose piece, then people will be walking around in their navy and military uniforms proud of their jobs."
