asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (a) what facilities exist for the bunkering of ships of the Irish Naval Service at present based in Cobh harbour; (b) whether it is correct that these vessels have to come to Dublin to bunker; (c) the approximate quantity of fuel oil required to take these vessels to and from their base for fuelling purposes, the cost of this, and what steps he is taking to ensure that the bunkering of these vessels can be carried out at Haulbowline.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bunkering of Irish Ships.
(a) All vessels of the naval service, except the corvettes, are bunkered locally in Haulbowline or Cobh; (b) the corvettes are bunkered in Dublin as the necessary facilities are not available locally, and for this purpose advantage is taken of the vessels' normal patrol duties on the east coast; (c) it would not be practicable to differentiate between the quantity or cost of fuel oil used for bringing the corvettes to Dublin for bunkering and that used for patrol duties; the question of providing bunkering facilities for the vessels at Haulbowline is being considered at present, but at this stage it is not possible to say when these facilities are likely to materialise.