asked the Minister for Defence whether any Irish naval vessel was instructed to intercept the yacht Gracie Blue after she had left Castletownberehaven; and if so, (i) by whom, (ii) for what reason, and (iii) whether the chief officer made any report on his action, and what it was.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Interception of “Gracie Blue”
As the result of representations made by a Gárda inspector to the officer in charge of the L.E. Macha at Castletownberehaven on the 28th October last, the Director of the Naval Service authorised the officer in charge of the vessel to convey the Gárda inspector on the ship for the purpose of arresting the master of the yacht Gracie Blue which had put to sea from Castletownberehaven over three hours earlier subject to the stipulation that the yacht was not to be boarded outside territorial waters. The inspector held a warrant for the arrest of the master.
The officer in charge of the Macha subsequently made a report which, in the main, consists of details of the unsuccessful efforts made to locate the yacht.
Is the Minister in a position to give the House any account of "how come" that the Irish Navy cannot overtake what was an extremely battered yacht, from all we hear about it? Was it due to the initiation of the chase under an improper handicap because, really, does the Minister not agree that it is calculated to provoke ridicule that the Irish Navy should take to sea to apprehend a broken-down yacht and fail to overtake it?
I do not see that that requires any answer. A request was made by the Garda to go after the vessel. The vessel had a three hours' start. It was merely a matter of form, so far as the officers in charge of the State ship were concerned, to carry out an instruction given to them by the Garda officer.
May I ask the Minister does it state the position correctly that the naval forces at his disposal must carry out the instructions of Garda officers without a discretion in the naval officers in charge of these vessels as to whether any effective purpose can be served? If the naval officers believe that the quarry to be pursued has left too long to make it possible to overtake it within territorial waters, have they not discretion to decline in that event to put to sea, thus avoiding any attendant publicity about pursuit and failure to overtake?
The Deputy knows full well that if a request is made by any peace officer to any of the State forces, the State forces, if called upon by a peace officer to carry out certain instructions, do so. Whether they may or may not be successful is another matter.
Surely, that ought to be changed?