The Irish Government has been urged to review all its cybersecurity after allegations that Russian spies hacked former British Prime MInister Liz Truss' private mobile phone when she was UK Foreign Secretary.
There is also a strong suspicion among security experts that the Russian embassy in Dublin - one of the Kremlin's biggest listening posts in Europe - had some involvement in the spying scandal.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney regularly spoke to Ms Truss on her mobile phone at the time, conveying the Irish Government's position on various issues.
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The two struck up a strong personal relationship when she was Foreign Secretary, even though they disagreed with the UK Government's hardline approach to the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol.
A number of Coalition sources stressed the issue is being taken seriously, although they don't normally comment on security issues.
The suspected security breach was discovered in the summer but it's alleged Boris Johnson, who was still the UK's Prime Minister, decided to keep it quiet in case the scandal interfered with the Tory leadership campaign at the time between Truss and Rishi Sunak.
Defence expert and ex-Irish Army Ranger Cathal Berry TD has demanded the Government carry out a full internal review of all its internal communications to ensure Irish ministers are not being hacked.
He said: "Ireland doesn't really do security, whether it is energy, national or cyber. It's all treated with the same degree of complacency.
"Ministerial phones in particular should be hardened and encrypted to protect sensitive data.
"I was particularly surprised last year to hear that some Government ministers bring their mobile phones into cabinet meetings with them rather than leaving them outside the room, which is international best practice.
"Even simple routines like this will tell you that we have a lot to learn in terms of cybersecurity."
Relations between Dublin and Moscow have deteriorated in recent weeks especially after their controversial Irish ambassador Yuro Filatov threatened Ireland for offering to train members of the Ukrainian army how to remove landmines.
There were also fears within the Government that the Russians would attempt to interfere with the internet cables and gas pipelines off the coast in the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean, bringing the country to its knees.
Security around the below sea infrastructure was subsequently stepped up and Russian vessels in the vicinity tracked with US and British help.
The Russians also threatened to wipe both Britain and Ireland out in a nuclear attack despite the fact Ireland is a neutral nation.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan confronted Yuri Filatov face to face at a private diplomatic party last week over his threats and for peddling Vladamir Putin's lies over the war in Ukraine.
Last night Deputy Berry, the Independent TD for Kildare, urged the Government to stop renewing the visas of staff in the Russian embassy in Dublin who he claimed were patently not diplomats.
It is believed they have a staff of 30 to 40 here.
He said: "Ireland has four genuine diplomats at our embassy in Moscow. Russia should therefore be allowed no more than four in their embassy in Dublin.
"This would strip away the intelligence gathering capacity of its embassy while maintaining channels of communications - however tenuous - to the Kremlin."
The Government has been reluctant up to now to kick Filatov out of the country despite backbench demands, with both the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Mr Coveney keen to keep some direct contact with the Russians.
The Russian ambassador has repeatedly denied their embassy on the city's Orwell Road is used for espionage.
There have been regular protests at the gates over the Russian invasion of Ukraine and tension is running high.
The British security services are carrying out a full investigation into the Truss spying operation, which lasted for over a year.
A source said: "There is a suspicion that Russia's Dublin embassy had some involvement. They use Dublin to ship spies in and out of Britain all the time. We will get to the bottom of it."
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