Taoiseach says recent hybrid attacks on Irish infrastructure were coordinated

Taoiseach Micheál Martin told RTÉ’s Late Late Show that the recent hybrid attacks on Irish infrastructure were “co‑ordinated” and that cyber attacks now represent the greatest threat to the state.

Speaking after RTÉ was evacuated on Friday following a hoax bomb threat, Mr Martin said it was too early to confirm Russian involvement, but noted a “general view” that the surge in hybrid attacks in recent months has a “Russian dimension”.

Impact on aviation, retail and cyber security

The Taoiseach highlighted how a single malicious email can cause widespread disruption, citing recent chaos in the aviation sector, retail outlets and online refrigeration systems. He warned that petty criminals hired by “certain actors” can cause significant damage with minimal effort.

Mr Martin said the number of cyber attacks has “quadrupled” and that all incidents are under Garda investigation, with intelligence shared across EU security services. He stressed that two years of preparation have been invested ahead of next week’s EU summit in Dublin, part of Ireland’s EU presidency.

Addressing a possible public‑sector strike on 12 November, Martin said intensive negotiations were underway and that the upcoming summit would not dictate the pace of talks.

He also commented on the US mid‑term elections, noting the result was a reminder that political timelines are constant, but cautioned that Ireland should not expect a reversal of US tariff policies and urged greater European self‑reliance.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: YL Lew / Pexels.