Case of Irish-Russian woman in Australia highlights Republic’s ‘security complacency’

There is no security vetting for people hired as parliamentary assistants by TDs or Senators, it has emerged in the wake of Australia’s decision to cancel the visa of an Irish-Russian woman who worked for both Fine Gael’s Bernard Allen and Willie Penrose of Labour.

Cathal Berry, a former deputy head of the Irish Army’s Ranger wing and now an independent TD representing the Kildare South constituency, said in the absence of a national security strategy in the Republic it was unclear to him how the case of Marina Sologub would be handled when she returned to Ireland, as anticipated.

Despite being a former senior Army officer, Mr Berry said the lack of security protocols and strategies in the Republic, which are commonplace in other jurisdictions, meant it was not clear to him whether Ms Sologub would be debriefed on arrival back in Ireland, placed under investigation or if some other approach would be pursued now that her visa has been cancelled on national security grounds in Australia. He said protocols for handling people being deported, on security grounds, should be in place.

Ms Sologub (39), a Kazakhstan-born ethnic Russian, grew up in Cork and moved from the Republic to Australia in 2020 on a “distinguished talent visa”. She previously worked for the National Space Centre in Cork and also as an assistant to Bernard Allen, a former Fine Gael TD, and for Willie Penrose, a former Labour Party TD

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She has been contacted for comment by The Irish Times but has not responded.

The NSC told The Irish Times it would not comment. “In line with our HR Policy, we cannot share information on the employment of any of our current or former staff members,” it said in reply to queries. Mr Allen and Mr Penrose have both confirmed Ms Sologub worked for them for periods, expressing their surprise at her situation.

A Garda spokeswoman said it does not comment on named individuals or “matters potentially relating to national or international security”. However, Garda sources told The Irish Times the case was being reviewed internally in a bid to gather information on the background of Ms Sologub’s visa being cancelled.

Mr Berry stressed he had no knowledge of Ms Sologub personally, save for the information that has appeared in the media reporting her visa had been cancelled on security grounds. But he said her case, and how it might be handled by the Irish authorities, highlighted significant shortcomings in how the Republic approaches national security.

“Culturally we are very complacent from a security point of view,” he said, adding the fact Ms Sologub had her visa cancelled would inflict “reputational damage” on the Republic due to her former roles working inside the Houses of the Oireachtas.

“The Taoiseach, and in one sense I admire his honesty, said last week he did not receive regular security briefings,” Mr Berry said, adding the leaders of other countries receive such briefings. “Ivana Bacik asked him in the Dáil if the opposition leaders should also get security briefings and he told her he didn’t get briefings.”

Mr Berry said as well as lacking a national security strategy in Ireland, even the position of chair of the National Security Analysis Centre (NSAC) is not a full time post and is being filled at present by Dermot Woods, who is assistant secretary in the Department of the Taoiseach.

“We can now see a pattern emerging of complacency and recklessness,” Mr Berry said of the State’s approach to national security. “Defence and security are fundamental aspects of any nation state. We haven’t realised that yet, which is incredible considering our his history with The Troubles.”

While there was no security vetting for parliamentary assistants, Mr Berry said this could only be introduced if the Garda vetting services were properly resourced. He said while people speak of vetting or screening at the point of recruitment, there should be ongoing screening, including post-employment, to monitor people who had sensitive roles.

Ms Sologub moved to the Republic as a child and grew up in Cork. She emigrated to Australia in 2020 on a “distinguished talent visa”. She was working in the space industry in Australia for a time, the same sector she had built a career in while living in Ireland. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin on Sunday confirmed Ms Sologub had been in contact with the Irish authorities seeking assistance.

Ms Sologub has not been convicted of any crime and no charges have been brought against her in Australia. The Australian authorities have in recent months been gradually forcing some Russians, or people they claim have direct or indirect links to Russia, to leave Australia by cancelling their visas. They have done so because they have decided the people involved may pose a security risk to Australia, either directly or indirectly.

Ms Sologub had most recently been working as a procurement adviser for the City of Marion, an electoral area in Adelaide. In a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald, the City of Marion said she advised them her visa had been cancelled, while acting chief executive, Ben Keen, said the Irish national was a contractor employed by an agency.

Her CV states she completed a Master’s degree in Government in University College Cork in 2012. By that time, she claims, she had worked as a parliamentary assistant in Dáil Éireann for then-TD Willie Penrose (Labour), in 2008 and 2009, and for then-TD Bernard Allen (Fine Gael) for a number of months in 2010, when he was chair of the Public Accounts Committee.