Eric J. Byrne
Question:27 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Defence the number of vessels currently available to the Naval Service; the average number at sea at any one time; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Naval Service Vessels.
The Naval Service has seven patrol vessels. Naval Service vessels are taken out of service from time to time to allow for crew leave, scheduled maintenance and other contingencies. It would be undesirable for operational reasons to disclose detailed information as to the number of Naval Service vessels at sea or in port at any time.
Surely the Tánaiste is now stretching all credibility when he suggests that with a total figure of seven he is going to give any great security or State secrets away by telling us whether at any time there are three in or four out or vice versa.
I can tell the Deputy the position at the moment. One Naval Service vessel, the Emer, is currently out of operation, due to personal shortage. It is undergoing a scheduled major refit and work will be completed by the end of November. Then we will have all seven operating. That is not bad. Six out of seven are fully functioning at present.
I accept fully functional——
Functioning.
Will the Tánaiste not accept that it is a very undesirable state of affairs that at any time any one of our vessels is tied up for a lack of crew or crew shortages as indicated?
We are getting really on top of that by reason of an increased number of recruits into the Naval Service this year. A certain time lag has to operate because of training but we are on top of it now. The Naval Service will get special treatment in future recruitment programmes so that all seven boats will be fully operational from the personnel point of view. We are nearly there.
How long, does the Minister think, before we are finally there?
It is only a matter of a few months.