It comes after a newspaper reported that a politician in the Oireachtas has been allegedly recruited by Russian intelligence.
The alleged agent has been dubbed ‘Cobalt’, and it was reported that a “honeytrap” was used to recruit the politician during Brexit talks.
There has been much speculation surrounding the identity of ‘Cobalt’ and now some members of the Seanad have come forward to declare they are not working for the Russians, following a report in The Sunday Times.
Fianna Fáil’s Timmy Dooley was the first to make the declaration and also called on others to do the same.
“There have been some rumours circulating that members of the upper house have been involved with Russia and there may or may not be a spy in our midst,” Senator Dooley said.
“I think its important in order to avoid any potential stain on this house, that members would voluntarily make a statement that they are not the subject of any investigation or that they have never been in the clutches of Russia,” Mr Dooley added.
“And before I sit down, I can declare that I am not such person,” he said.
Cathaoirleach of the Seanad Jerry Buttimer reminded members in the Seanad that nobody has been named as the politician recruited by Russia but also said he was not the spy.
“And I too, Senator Dooley like you, am not one of those people either,” Senator Buttimer said.
While many of the members joined in laughing, Fianna Fáil senator Fiona O’Loughlin took to her feet to say she too was not a spy.
Other members including Fine Gael’s Maria Byrne and Fianna Fáil’s Malcolm Byrne, who said “I am not a spy, I have no doubt that Senator Dooley isn’t a Russian spy himself.”
Earlier this week, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said he was previously offered a trip to Moscow by a businesswoman, which included a stay in a five-star hotel and a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“In 2017, I was approached by a consultancy firm offering me a trip to Russia, five-star hotel stays and a meeting with Vladimir Putin,” he said in a statement.
“This struck me as very strange and a little incredible. Given the anti-democratic nature of the Putin regime, I indicated that I was not interested in it,” he added.
Taoiseach Simon Harris today deflected a question as to whether the alleged Russian spy in the Oireachtas should identify himself – as rumours swirled that he might be preparing to do so.
“What I’ve been saying in relation to national security is that generally we don’t comment,” he said on the first day of his trip to Washington.
“We do that to keep our people safe, to keep our country safe as well. I think we need to be alert in Ireland to the fact that we’re not immune from Russian influence.
“Russia is a country that seeks to actively influence public debate and discourse, and I think it’s also a statement of fact to say that that level of activity has increased by Russia since their brutal and evil invasion of Ukraine, and therefore the Gardaí and our security services obviously monitor these matters very closely.
“What I can definitely say is this, that the Gardaí take these matters extremely seriously, that there are laws in our country, that laws are enforced, that laws are followed, and that the laws of the land are rigorous to be applied in all cases.”
Asked about his own briefing about Cobalt’s alleged activities, he said: “I don’t want to be unhelpful, but generally by commenting one way or the other, it breaches a rule in terms of not commenting on matters of national security.
“But I do take seriously the issue in relation to Russian activity across the European Union, and in many countries across the world.
“Ireland isn’t immune from that. There are bad actors who seek to influence and distort public discourse. And like I say, Ireland shouldn’t think it is immune.”
Mr Harris said ‘Cobalt’ was a codeword that had been conferred by a newspaper in making allegations that the man had been recruited as an agent by Russia. “It’s not a name that has been given by Gardaí,” Mr Harris said.
It comes after The Sunday Times reported that Russian intelligence recruited an Irish politician to act as an agent during Brexit negotiations.
The Taoiseach said it was “not a priority” for him to emulate Transport Minister Eamon Ryan’s call for Cobalt to be publicly identified. “My priority is making sure the Gardaí are empowered to keep the country safe,” Mr Harris said.
