Russian ships in Irish water
Under-investment in the Defence Forces means Ireland is extremely exposed to two Russian ships currently in our waters - according to a security analyst.
The state-owned vessels are being monitored by the Air Corps and Naval Service. They are off the south-west coast, near critical, underwater cables linking Europe and the US.
Russian forces targeted similar fibreoptic cables in the Black Sea before the invasion of Ukraine.
Security expert and senator, Tom Clonan says we do have an old aircraft that can oversee the movements of the vessels, but otherwise our defences are very limited.
He said: "In terms of intervention, ideally that would be the task for the Naval Service but we're in trouble in terms of our assets there because of the recruitment and retention crisis.
"We don't have as many marathon vessels are we would ought to have on patrol."
