Posted by Updated / Tuesday, 6 Jan 2026 18:24
Tánaiste Simon Harris has said he is not aware whether permission was sought by the United States for its military to fly over Ireland to monitor an oil tanker.
A US naval aircraft travelled over Irish airspace yesterday afternoon, en route to monitor a vessel that has been pursued by American forces.
The Marinera was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 due to its links with Iran.
It had been scheduled to pick up oil from Venezuela recently ahead of a US naval blockade of the country.
The vessel has attempted to evade authorities across the Atlantic by changing its name and country registration to Russia.
According to American media, the tanker could become the third vessel to be seized by the United States as part of the country’s pressure campaign on Venezuela.
Satellite data yesterday showed the Marinera, previously known as the Bella, around 400km west of Ireland, travelling north, outside the State’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
While the tanker didn’t end up entering Irish waters, Ireland’s Air Corps appeared to monitor it with its maritime surveillance aircraft, the C295, yesterday afternoon.
The US navy aircraft was deployed from the United Kingdom around the same time.
The US military are allowed to fly over Ireland without prior notification on condition that the aircraft is unarmed, carry only cargo and passengers, and comply with navigational requirements.
However, if the flight does not meet this criteria, advance permission needs to be sought from the Irish government.
The Tánaiste said that there are “clear rules” in relation to other jurisdictions accessing Irish air space, and he believed those rules were followed.
However, Simon Harris said he wasn’t personally aware of this flight.
Retired Brigadier General with the Defence Forces, Tony Cudmore said that this whole incident should focus Irish minds on the state’s security, as the government finalises its maritime security strategy.
“Let’s take this opportunity now to see what we would have done if we had been required to, for instance, consider an intervention should a ship wish to enter our territorial waters” he said.
“I don’t see this as cutting across our neutrality in any way, in fact, this is about sovereignty and responsibility at sovereign level.
When asked whether the US’s operation to monitor Russian-flagged vessel questions Ireland’s neutrality, the Tánaiste said that Ireland is a neutral country but “it doesn’t mean that it’s immune or unconcerned about issues of national security.”
“Russia is carrying out a war of aggression in Europe. We’re living in very unusual times. Russia is not a friend of Ireland or the EU,” Mr Harris said.” We tend not to comment or over-comment in relation to security.”
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