asked the Minister for Defence if there will be any cutback in Naval Service activities due to the reduction being made in the estimate for patrol duty allowance and for the maintenance of vessels.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Naval Service.
21.
No. A cut-back in Naval Service activities is not envisaged.
The Estimate allowance for patrol duty is down from £190,000 to £110,000. The allowance for vessels is down from £8 million to £5 million. On maintenance of vessels it is down from £500,000 to £400,000. Will those reductions have a serious effect on the amount of duty which can be carried out by the Defence forces?
I think the Deputy is mistaken here. This year a certain amount of money could be spent on overhauling a vessel but next year she would not need the same overhaul and less money would be required. Therefore, that would not entail a cut-back in the accepted sense of the word. Money is provided when it is needed.
Would the Minister agree that as a result of this cut-back only 25 per cent of the time necessary will be spent on duties?
I have answered the question. There is no cut-back on Naval Service duties and it is not envisaged either.
If there is a reduction in the Estimate does that mean that there will be a scarcity of men?
I have explained the position.
I am talking about patrol duty. There is a serious reduction.
It is a matter of operational considerations. We are never short of money for a worthy object. The Deputy knows that.
I am concerned about the reduction in the Estimate. It means one of two things, that one has not the men to do the duty or one is going to have to cut-back on the duty. Which is it?
We are providing for a very efficient Naval Service.
22.
asked the Minister for Defence if he is now in a position to give the information requested in Parliamentary Question No. 21 of 18 June 1980; if these vessels are Irish designed; and the foreign participation, if any, there has been in this project.
23.
asked the Minister for Defence when work will commence at Verolme Dockyard, Cork on the new naval vessels.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together. While the detailed specifications have not, as yet, been fully completed the principal characteristics of the two new helicopter bearing vessels for the Naval Service which have already been decided are as follows:—
|
Length overall |
80.75 metres |
|
Loaded displacement |
1,760 tonnes |
|
Range at cruising speed of 15 knots |
7,000 nautical miles |
|
Main propulsion machinery |
2 diesel engines of 3,600 H.P. (approx.) each |
|
Accommodation |
85 all ranks |
|
Trial speed |
19.00 knots |
The specifications will be finalised as quickly as possible and it is expected that an order will be placed shortly thereafter.
Extensive investigations were carried out to determine the optimum design of vessel suited to conditions in our waters. My Department, the Naval Service, Irish Shipping and a number of external agencies have contributed to the development of the design.
Do we own the design of these vessels? Can we sell it to other countries? Is there foreign participation here in the design of these vessels?
We have gone to considerable trouble to get the best available knowledge on this design. It has affected the starting date of the vessel. This is the first helicopter-bearing vessel to be built for the Naval Service.
That does not answer my question. Do we own the design or can we sell it to other countries?
I do not know. I would say that we are certainly paying for the design and therefore we own it. I am not certain whether we can sell it again or not.
I take it that that means we can sell it to other countries.
I honestly do not know. I do not think the question arises anyway.
The question arises out of Question No. 22.
Why is it that, although the Minister has said he wanted to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together, he has not answered Question No. 23?
I have replied to it.
I must have missed that.
I can read the whole answer again if the Deputy thinks that would be helpful.
I simply want to know the date on which the work will commence.
I will read the whole answer again.
Would the Minister just tell me the date the work will commence? If the Minister mentioned that, I missed it. I am sorry.
It is not possible to say when the work will commence. They are still not finished preparing it, but it will be as soon as possible.
A final supplementary.
Would the Minister agree that talks about these two vessels for the Cork dockyard have been going on in his Department for the past 12 months and every time the matter is raised in this House the answer from the Minister is "as soon as possible"? Would the Minister agree that unless an order is given very shortly to the dockyard 300 people will be laid off on 1 January? That being so, will the Minister ensure that an order is given to the dockyard before the end of the week?
I assure the Deputy in all sincerity that steps have been taken to ensure that the future of the dockyard is safeguarded.
Question No. 24.
This dockyard cannot survive on the verbosity of Fianna Fáil. It needs orders.
I assure Deputy Barry that he will see the launching of the vessel.
24.
asked the Minister for Defence if any Naval Service NCO training was carried out outside Haulbowline; and, if so, if he will give details; and the reason why it is necessary to have training carried on outside the base.
Since May 1979 Naval Service personnel attended potential non-commissioned officers' courses and senior non-commissioned officers' courses conducted for the Defence Forces as follows:
|
Potential NCO Courses |
Senior NCO Courses |
|
|
Curragh |
22 |
2 |
|
Collins Barracks Cork |
49 |
— |
|
Custume Barracks |
6 |
— |
|
Athlone |
||
|
Cathal Brugha |
— |
5 |
|
Barracks Dublin |
Does the Minister consider that conditions of service and pay and unsocial hours are a deterrent to recruitment?
Sin ceist eile.
It arises on the question.
It does not arise.
Are the unsocial hours, together with pay and conditions, a deterrent to potential recruits?
If the Deputy puts down a question on this matter I am sure the Minister will answer it.
Deputy Hegarty put down a question and was not given an answer.
25.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline the success he has had in recruiting direct entry officers to the Naval Service this year; the number recruited; and whether those recruited were marine engineers or navigation officers.
A total of eight direct entry officers have been appointed to the Naval Service in 1980 to date, comprising five marine engineer officers and three navigation officers.
The supplementary I asked earlier arises on this question. Are the long hours and the conditions of service and pay a deterrent to potential recruits?
I am answering the question asked. The Naval Service have enlisted eight direct entry officers. I am sure they must have found the remuneration quite satisfactory.
Question No. 26.
Will the Minister outline the success achieved in recruited direct entry officers to the Naval Service this year?
The success is shown by the fact that eight direct entry officers have enlisted this year to date.
How many were sought and how many applicants were there?
Significant inducements have been used during the past few years in order to attract suitably qualified direct entry officers to the Naval Service. In the case of engineer officers these include appointment to the rank of lieutenant in the Naval Service, payment of short-service pay in addition to normal pay amounting to £12,250 over five years and, in the case of officers who hold a first-class certificate of competency, entry on the fifth point of the lieutenant's pay scale. The following are examples of amounts which may be earned by direct entry officers over five years: officers with a first-class certificate of competency, £63,659; officers with a second-class certificate of competency, £60,937. A patrol duty allowance of £5.67 per day for each day spent away from base is also payable to officers on sea-going duty.
How many applicants were there?
There were eight this year.
That is the number recruited. What was the number of applicants?
We cannot remain all day on this question. Next question, please.
26.
asked the Minister for Defence if the reason for not establishing naval service sub-bases at present is due to the shortage of funds and the inadequate number of men in the service; and if he will outline his policy on this matter.
No. Since the reply to Question No. 23 on 18 June 1980, the Naval Service have taken over facilities at Spike Island where recruit and potential NCO training is now being carried out. There are no plans for the establishment of sub-bases elsewhere.
In view of the drive to recruit more naval personnel, would the Minister consider maintaining the headquarters in Haulbowline and create sub-bases around the country as an incentive to recruitment?
I understand there are great difficulties to be overcome in the creation of sub-bases. Consideration has been given to this matter from time to time and various places around the coast have been considered for alternative or additional naval bases, for example, Castletownbere, the Shannon Estuary at Foynes, Galway, Cashla Bay, the Aran Islands, Blacksod Bay, Sligo, Killybegs, Lough Swilly, Rathmullen, Howth and Dunmore East.
Will the search continue?
The search for a suitable base is continuing but there are many difficulties to be overcome in the establishment of a sub-base.
A final supplementary.
Does the Minister regard the fact that there is only one base at Haulbowline as a disincentive to recruitment?
We are satisfied for the moment with the Haulbowline base but we are always on the lookout for more suitable sub-bases.
27.
asked the Minister for Defence if, in view of the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 3 on 25 June 1980, he will have a study undertaken of requirements of the Naval Service in the light of the Law of the Sea Conference.
The requirements of the Naval Service are being kept under review in the light of developments at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea.