Eamon Ryan has demanded that the public be informed of the identify of an Irish politician who was purportedly recruited by Russian intelligence as an agent, reports Breaking News.
The Minister of Transport stated that it would eliminate any potential for suspicion to be directed on the entire House of Representatives, but he also noted that it needed to be done legally.
According to The Sunday Times, one of the objectives of Russian intelligence’s “honeytrap” operation to enlist the lawmaker as an agent during the Brexit negotiations was to sabotage ties between the UK, Ireland, and the EU, reports Breaking News.
The Irish military and security agencies discovered the possible agent, code-named Cobalt, but they are still in the Oireachtas, according to the article.
It was a “very significant allegation,” according to Mr. Ryan.
“If that was the case, obviously, it is a real concern and a real security concern if you have a member of the Oireachtas acting in such a way. It’s very hard to know how that person could be identified. That is something that would benefit the rest of us, so that the suspicion doesn’t go on the entire Oireachtas. But legally, obviously, that has to be done, so we have to wait and see how the allegations made can be verified. They are very serious, but until that point I think we have to be careful. We don’t know who that person is, obviously,” he added, reports Breaking News.
Mr. Ryan claimed that no one with ties to the Russian government had ever contacted him.
It coincides with Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín’s request on all independents and political parties to audit senators and TDs in order to make sure that there is “no undue influence from Russia or any other country.”
“While people will be intrigued by the report, its important to understand the threat that this posed. Ireland was hit by a cyber-attack in 2021 that has led to €100 million in costs so far. The costs are expected to increase to well over €600 million and many thousands of people have suffered due to significantly delayed health care,” he added, reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
