'Embarrassing': Ireland's defence capabilities questioned over drone incursion during Zelenskiy visit

James Cox

People called Ireland's defence capabilities "embarrassing" in messages to Taoiseach Micheál Martin over the presence of drones near the flight path of Volodymyr Zelenskiy's plane during a recent visit.

The drones were as close as 500m to an Irish navel vessel, the LÉ William Butler Yeats, however, officers decided they could not shoot them down due to the presence of civilian aircraft in Irish airspace. 

They were also spotted in skies over north-east Dublin as the plane carrying Mr Zelenskiy landed at Dublin Airport.

While the origin of the drones is unkown, they were suspected to be Russian by security experts. Discussing the incident afterwards, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said the drones were "generated for the purpose of putting pressure on EU and Ukrainian interests".

In messages, seen by BreakingNews.ie following a Freedom of Information request, people told the Taoiseach that Ireland's security was "embarrassing" and called for more spending on defence.

One person wrote: "The fact that enemy drones are able to operate freely in Irish airspace is more than a worry, it is embarrassing. As a country, our inability to defend against enemy aggression is frightening."

In one email, someone called the incident a "stark, undeniable illustration of the systemic vulnerabilities that have been repeatedly raised by defence and security experts".

'Profound alarm'

"I am writing to express my profound alarm at the recent incident in which several drones - reported as advanced, non-hobby-grade platforms - entered the temporary no-fly zone established around President Zelensky’s visit and subsequently loitered near an Irish Naval Service vessel off the Dublin coast. Regardless of the origin of these platforms or the intent of the operators, the fact remains that Ireland was unable to detect, prevent, or interdict aerial activity occurring in restricted airspace at a moment of heightened sensitivity and international visibility.

"This episode is not an isolated embarrassment; it is a stark, undeniable illustration of the systemic vulnerabilities that have been repeatedly raised by defence and security experts. Ireland currently lacks the radar, the technical infrastructure, the interception capability, and the personnel capacity required to meaningfully enforce its own jurisdiction—whether in the air, at sea, or around critical subsea infrastructure.

"We now find ourselves in a geopolitical environment defined by hybrid conflict, strategic coercion, and grey-zone operations. Across Europe, hostile actors have used drones to disrupt airports, threaten civil aviation, surveil sensitive infrastructure, and interfere with
undersea cables that underpin the digital economy. These are not theoretical risks—they are documented realities affecting EU partners today."

They added: "Yet Ireland, situated on Europe’s Atlantic periphery and hosting vital transatlantic cables and air corridors, remains functionally incapable of monitoring or defending its sovereign space. Our reliance on the goodwill and vigilance of other states is no longer tenable. Neutrality, whether political or military, does not equate to immunity. It has never guaranteed protection from the actions of states or actors willing to exploit gaps in our capabilities."

Ireland's lack of radar systems was also raised in several emails.

The State agreed to purchase a €500 million military radar system from France at the end of the year, but the deal is yet to be completed.

Several people also raised concerns about Ireland's vulnerabilities as a neutral nation.

Defence spending

Another person wrote: "I feel compelled to email you in light of the recent drone incident off the coast of Ireland. Overall, the Government is wholly out of step with the overwhelming majority of Irish citizens who think our defence forces are a disgrace and an embarrassment from the perspective of Government priority and funding.

"Even with supposed increases in funding - they are are still outrageously short of what is required. We need an overwhelming increase in defence budgeting - billions - on sophisticate technology, personnel, more ships and cutting edge jets. Nothing else will do.

"Furthermore - everyone in Dáil Éireann needs to understand - we can no longer be neutal in the old-fashioned way we were. That nonsense needs to be jettisoned. We're not living in that world any more. Either you are for democracy and a rules based order, or for reckless tyranny - you cannot be neutral on this issue - you are either on one side or the other. Those elected to Dáil Éireann need to
make up their minds on this.

"Finally, Ireland's stance on China is a hypocritical contradiction. They are a tyranny, supporting the war in Ukraine. Ireland CANNOT - in conscience - do business with such a country. This is going to become an existential issue soon."

In one email, someone suggested purchasing retired A10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets from the United States.

Several people also expressed concerns about Ireland being a target for more hostile drone activity during the EU Presidency, which the State will hold from July 1st to December 31st, 2026.