Barry Andrews warns Dublin Airport to prepare for drone incursions

Barry Andrews, MEP for Dublin, has urged Dublin Airport to prepare for possible drone incursions following a series of incidents that disrupted air traffic across Europe.

His warning comes after Brussels Airport and other Belgian airports were forced to halt flights for several hours due to multiple simultaneous drone incursions.

“These multiple simultaneous drone incursions, following similar incursions over other EU countries in recent months, are aimed to destabilise our critical infrastructure,” Mr Andrews said.

He warned that the implications for Dublin Airport are serious, calling on the Dublin Airport Authority to invest in anti-drone technology and update its procedures.

“The government and Fingal County Council must also work together to make sure the legal framework is in place to defend against such drones,” he added.

Mr Andrews highlighted that Danish airports experienced similar incursions last month while hosting high-level European summits attended by over 50 heads of state.

Ireland is due to host those same summits next year, a fact that he said should heighten the urgency of Ireland’s preparations.

“We do not know who flew these latest drones, while the Belgian Defence Minister has described them as ‘professionals’,” he said. “I would echo what the Taoiseach stated recently — that we should not be naive about the threat from Russia.”