McEntee refuses to confirm knowledge about alleged spy in Oireachtas [Video]

JUSTICE MINISTER HELEN McEntee has refused to confirm whether she was alerted to an alleged spy in the Oireachtas within the last five years.

McEntee said she is regularly briefed on all security matters, including by the intelligence services.

It comes after a report last Sunday stated that key government figures were told that Russian intelligence had recruited an Irish politician.

The Sunday Times reported that a “honeytrap” was used to recruit the politician dubbed Cobalt with one of the aims being to undermine relations between Britain, Ireland and the EU in the Brexit negotiations.

The newspaper also reported that while the Irish military and security services have identified the potential agent – given the code-name Cobalt by the paper – they remain a member of the Oireachtas.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin said earlier this week that he was never told about an alleged spy.

During the week, a number of senators …