Marine Consultant & Small Craft Surveyor, former CEO of Water Safety Ireland & former Lt Cdr in the Irish Navy.
Galway
Joined April 2010
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Interesting take
Some EU member states want an Irish alumina refiner included in a new round of sanctions. Its defenders argue that doing so would cripple Europe’s aluminium sector—but they are wrong economist.com/europe/2026/09…
Interesting clip from the Wall Street Journal on Ireland's ability or lack of it, to protect the undersea cables that connect most of our world. youtu.be/te_HFbZN1Tw?is=ZldP…
Well done to realise what their capabilities are. They could shut down all our worldwide communications in less than an hour.
Britain caught Russian submarines testing a secret new weapon designed to disable critical undersea cables, it has emerged.
🔗: telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09…
John Leech retweeted
A conservationist has called for cat owners to be "adults" and "realistic" about how much damage their pets are doing to Ireland's native bird populations.
newstalk.com/news/cats-22659…
John Leech retweeted
A Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessel rescued the Army AH-64 Apache crew after they crashed near the Strait of Hormuz in the waters of Oman yesterday, the first-ever rescue of downed aircrew by a drone boat -WSJ
John Leech retweeted
Ireland’s military neutrality “does not provide immunity” from threats facing Europe, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said. breakingnews.ie/ireland/irel…
John Leech retweeted
Ireland has a proud peacekeeping record and will always be a peaceful country 🇮🇪
But if the Triple Lock remains unchanged, Irish troops will continue to miss out on important overseas missions and valuable experience, while our European partners carry on that work.
The deployment of our Defence Forces will remain fully consistent with international law and our Constitution, while ensuring Ireland can continue to contribute to peacekeeping, security and stability in the world.
John Leech retweeted
Europe dominates the list of richest countries.
The US ranks as 16th while the UK is not even in the top 20.
This is a new ranking which measures, not just GDP, but how wealth concretely translates into the daily life of the ordinary citizen.
GDP per capita is generally a terrible metric, as it assumes national output is evenly shared across the population.
John Leech retweeted
From @WSJFreeEx via @WSJOpinion: Ireland is a small country. But we ought to pay attention to what’s happening there, not least because escalating violence in any one Western country could easily spread to the rest, writes @Louise_m_perry.
on.wsj.com/3Q7O1mX
John Leech retweeted
Of course Trump thinks he’s the Messiah — his disciples tell him so ft.trib.al/6KB3RrM
We have not prioritised our security and neutrality for decades, this hybrid was is exposing our vulnerability.
Security will be a big challenge for the Irish EU presidency.
Dorcha Lee is writing in todays @irishexaminer
John Leech retweeted
A new virus has arrived which targets the system that powers Apple devices. Here’s what you need to know 👇
Victims of the malware should consult a competent cyber security professional and report the crime to their local Garda Station.
#KeepingPeopleSafe
John Leech retweeted
Like some fusty old imperialist, Donald Trump is flummoxed by foreigners economist.com/international/…
John Leech retweeted
“Nato was created as a defensive alliance and all of its articles are essentially oriented towards defence.
“It was not an alliance that was designed for one of the allies to go on a war of choice and then oblige everyone else to follow. It was not designed for that at all. I’m not sure that’s the sort of Nato that any of us wanted to belong to.”
John Leech retweeted
Starmer urges 🇮🇪 to raise defence budget.
Increased expenditure, a full-time standalone defence minister, and an injection of political will are all required to address 🇮🇪 defence crisis.
Report from the @irishexaminer
@MichealMartinTD
@SimonHarrisTD
@HMcEntee
John Leech retweeted
3 pics👇
- Air Corps jet air policing capability disbanded in 1998.
- Army Air Defence Regiment disbanded in 2012.
- LE Eithne built in Cork with helipad, hull mounted sonar & air surveillance radar, decommissioned in 2022.
Though limited, 🇮🇪 had all these capabilities once.
For all your water skiers, this is doing it in style!
The Royal Navy really does offer many life opportunities.
You will make friends for life and have experiences that will stay with you forever.
You'll learn skills and trades that will set you up for life, whilst plying them globally!
Give your ambition a chance!
@RNJobsUK
John Leech retweeted
Caught between Russia and the US, Ireland has few choices.
Good piece in todays @IrishTimes regarding defence by Edward Burke and the choices facing 🇮🇪
John Leech retweeted
A reasonable, and attainable, aspiration would be to match Austria in defence spending, approximately 1% of GDP. Austria is a neutral country. They invest in defence without affecting their neutrality.
John Leech retweeted
🇮🇪 defences.
Maritime patrol aircraft, sonar buoys, and procurement, my letter in todays @IrishTimes.
@MichealMartinTD
@SimonHarrisTD
@HMcEntee
