Britain fears Ireland becoming 'back door' for Russian spies due to generous visa programme

Whitehall officials have expressed fears Ireland may be functioning as a gateway for Russian intelligence operatives seeking access to the UK.

Barry Andrews, a Dublin MEP and former children's minister, revealed UK authorities had expressed concern about the volume of visas Dublin has issued to Russian nationals.

"Ireland doesn't have the most sophisticated intelligence services compared to the UK," the Fianna Fáil politician said.

"The UK is worried that Ireland is a back door. People come to Ireland, we don't really have the surveillance capacity the UK does."

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Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Irish authorities have approved approximately 14,000 visa applications from Russian citizens, representing a success rate of around 90 per cent.

Mr Andrews expressed doubts about whether adequate background checks were being conducted on these applicants.

"I'm concerned about whether or not we're carrying out sufficient due diligence about these applications.

"Whether the grants are robust and whether we have reason to be concerned about Russian nefarious activities in Ireland," he told News Talk.

The MEP urged immigration authorities to implement more rigorous screening measures, including examination of applicants' social media accounts and conducting personal interviews before granting entry.

Ireland's assumption of the EU presidency in July heightens these security concerns, according to Mr Andrews, who warned that holding the rotating position "puts a target on your back".

The MEP pointed to previous instances where countries holding the presidency experienced disruption to airports and alleged Russian targeting of critical infrastructure.

"Ireland is in the crosshairs and I think it's the right time for us to have a proper X-ray of granting visas to Russians and Belarusians," he said.

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Unlike most EU nations, Ireland operates outside the Schengen visa zone, which introduced restrictions on Russian arrivals following the Ukraine invasion and is now weighing a ban on individuals who participated in the conflict.

The concerns about Russian activity in Ireland are not new.

In 2022, Dublin expelled four senior Russian diplomats whose conduct was deemed inconsistent with international diplomatic standards.

Security sources subsequently told The Irish Times that the individuals had been identified as likely GRU operatives using their positions as cover for intelligence gathering.

A year later, The Sunday Times reported that an Irish parliamentarian faced criminal investigation over alleged covert contacts with Russian intelligence services during Brexit negotiations.

Cathal Berry, a former army ranger and then-member of the Irish parliament, described his country as a "playground" for Russians, citing its "extensive assets and poor security culture".

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