CLARE COUNCILLORS have criticised plans to base fighter jets at Shannon Airport.
The Clare Echo reported last week on the Government’s intention to ramp up national defences with the acquisition of eight fighter jets which would be based at Shannon Airport.
Preliminary analysis by defence planners calculate that the cost of the fighter jets will be between €60m and €100m per annum.
Speaking at Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) shot down the plans. “We have fancy follies about an air post squadron costing €14m in Shannon. We got €14bn from Apple and we’re talking of war aircraft in Shannon when we haven’t occupational therapists, speech language therapists and dialysis units in the county”. He said councillors attached to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael need to chat “with their colleagues and recalculate their spending”.
Similar views have been expressed by Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) who believed the Government needs to rethink its defence strategy by investing in coastal security and not fighter jets. “As someone who lives on the exposed Clare coast, I see first-hand that Ireland’s greatest security vulnerabilities come from the sea, not the sky. We need urgent investment in protecting our coastal waters, stopping drug smuggling, and securing our marine resources, not fighter jets that will spend most of their time grounded”.
She felt money would be better spent on having a dedicated Irish Marine Corps to patrol and protect Irish waters, rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) for rapid-response and interception missions, jet ski-based sea drones, similar to those deployed in Ukraine, to track and neutralise maritime threats and investment in frigates, ensuring Ireland has a long-term, fully functional naval presence.
Cllr McInerney suggested it would be more prudent to have a strategic defence partnership with the United Kingdom. This would see Ireland take responsibility for securing the Irish Sea and the UK would continue to provide air patrols along Ireland’s coast using their existing RAF resources. “It makes far more sense to focus on protecting our coasts while working in partnership with the UK for air defence. This would ensure Ireland has real, tangible security without wasting billions on fighter jets,” she said.
Rita who is Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District added, “The West Coast of Ireland is completely exposed. Any real threat—whether smuggling, illegal fishing, or hostile incursions—will come from the sea, not the air. Investing in a Marine Corps, sea drones, and patrol vessels will do more to protect Clare, Ireland, and our sovereignty than any fleet of fighter jets ever could”.
