L’Irlanda consentirà alle navi francesi e britanniche di pattugliare le acque controllate dall’Irlanda

This is good, our waters are their backyard too so they have an incentive to protect it. 

Interestingly:

> One goal will be to forge links with the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a UK-led alliance focused on maritime security. The JEF is not a part of Nato, although all 10 current members are also Nato members.
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> It is designed to respond rapidly to military crises on behalf of Nato or the UN. Ireland is not proposing becoming a full member of the JEF. Instead, it will be a part of “JEF+”, a new concept to allow allied nations to take part in individual exercises and operations as they see fit.
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> Participation in JEF+ will offer Ireland opportunities to “learn from its experiences and best practices”, the strategy states.

It’s wayyy to big for Ireland to patrol anyway. 

I thought the Royal Navy does anyway

Smart Ireland……….

It’s odd – there was a recent report of (relatively!) large investment in armoured vehicles and self-propelled artillery.

Which, while interesting, doesn’t seem to fill our most immediate needs. I’m surprised we didn’t focus on maritime patrol – sea and air. New patrol vessels (or at least, staffing those we have and keeping them in action), and aircraft to protect against airborne intrusions.