Increasing attention has been drawn to the threat of drug smuggling along Ireland's coastline in recent months, following high-profile drug seizures worth millions of euro by gardaí and the Revenue Commissioners.
These developments have also prompted fresh concern that South American drug cartels are finding new ways of smuggling narcotics across the Atlantic.
So, how protected is Ireland's coastline from the threat of drug smuggling?
Ireland is at risk of becoming a "gateway" for drugs into the UK and Europe from across the Atlantic, according to a former senior Navy Commander.
Eugene Ryan was one of the founding members of MAOC(N), the EU-funded narcotics monitoring body, and played a key role in two of the State's largest drug seizure maritime operations.
Ireland is weakened by a lack of patrol ships at sea, with just two of eight Navy vessels currently in operation, he said.
"Can we give adequate surveillance? The answer is no, we can't," Mr Ryan said.
"There's no point in saying anything other than that. We will not be able to do it unless - and until - we get all of the ships back out to sea on their patrols, as is required. And to do that we need more personnel."
He is concerned that South American drug cartels may feel emboldened by Ireland’s perceived lack of coastal security.
"They’re going to see us as a weak link," he says.
"Ireland could become a gateway for drugs into the UK and into Europe.
"If I was a narco, I would be looking around and saying, ‘We see what's happening with their defence forces and Navy. I think we'll try it because they're weaker than they were'."
It comes as attention is increasingly turning to Ireland's maritime security following recent high profile drug seizures by gardaí and the Revenue Commissioners worth millions of euros.
But those seizures have also prompted fresh concern that South American drug cartels are finding new ways of smuggling narcotics across the Atlantic.
While deep-sea drop offs by large container ships remain the most prevalent method of maritime drug importation in recent years, analysts say other more advanced methods of smuggling are a growing concern.
They include manned and unmanned submersibles, which can be guided across the Atlantic using GPS coordinates.
Two such vessels were detected off the coast of Spain in recent years with significant shipments of cocaine on board.
No narco-submersible has been identified in Irish waters, perhaps partly due to insufficient monitoring capabilities.
"Our maritime vessels are fitted with the latest in detection technology," said Shane Conway, Intelligence Management Branch at Revenue and Customs.
"But the submarine would have to be within radar range in order for it to be picked up. So if it's sitting below the waterline, it's not displaying any kind of signal. It does pose a challenge in terms of detection."
Another concern for authorities is the use of so-called 'narco torpedoes' - canisters full of illegal drugs which can be attached to the hull of a large ship.
One such container was found washed up on a beach in Co Clare some years ago, and was later determined to contain €5 million worth of cocaine, much to the surprise of locals.
"I was absolutely gobsmacked," said Michael Vaughan, a hotel owner from Lahinch.
He came across the container while having a picnic with his family in August 2016, and initially thought it might be a gate post of sorts.
"We were trying to lift it but it was quite heavy," he said.
"I couldn't understand what such a big heavy thing would be carrying drugs.
"You hate to see that it would be coming into the community. But of course drugs have taken a hold in places like Lahinch and other small towns.
"As a small island nation, we have to wake up to the fact that we really are part of the overall drugs distribution network. And we should be really putting in more investment into stopping that."
This is a worry too for the fishing community, says Patrick Murphy from the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation. He believes the risk is even higher for those working at sea.
"If you have drugs coming in by submersible vessels … they can get caught up in fishing gear, so of course it's more dangerous for a fisherman to be out there. These people (the smugglers) are ruthless. Life is very worthless to them."
Ireland faces a particular set of challenges when it comes to managing this threat, Mr Conway said.
"The maritime space is an extremely complex area from an enforcement perspective.
"We have two maritime cutters monitoring the coastline on behalf of Revenue and Customs - with a third expected to be delivered in 2025.
"Ireland has over 3,100km of coastline so it's not practical for officers to be able to cover all of that area in real time."
This is where intelligence sharing is key, he explained.
"We gather information from a variety of different sources. Firstly, from our own internal systems in terms of analytics and profiling. Then, from a national perspective, we deal with a number of different agencies, primarily the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
"We also exchange information with our European colleagues working at MAOC(N) operations centre in Portugal."
Despite questions over Ireland’s ability to sufficiently monitor its coastline, Mr Conway is keen to highlight the success of a number of recent joint operations.
He says 2023 has been a bumper year for on and offshore seizures.
"We have just over 8.5 tonnes of drugs seized this year (figures from end of October), which represents a value of approximately €250 million. This is well in excess of our figure for 2022.
"I think that just highlights the actual effectiveness of the work that our frontline officers are carrying out."
In a statement, the Department of Defence also pointed to a recent as an example of strong inter-agency cooperation in recent months.
It also told us recruitment and retention in the Navy is being addressed by Government, with new measures including a ‘significant increase in pay for new recruits and private medical care to all enlisted personnel.’
It stressed that the Naval Service continues to conduct maritime surveillance and fisheries patrols in Irish coastal waters.
