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Naval Service Vessels

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 November 2013

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Questions (25)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

25. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding a replacement programme for the older vessels in the Naval Service. [46632/13]

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Written answers

A vessel replacement strategy for the Naval Service is currently in progress. In that regard, a contract was signed in October 2010, with Babcock Marine, part of the Babcock International Group, in the United Kingdom for the provision of two new offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Naval Service. The cost of the two new ships is €108m, exclusive of VAT. In addition, the cost of providing a weapons system for the ships, similar to the systems on L.E. Roisin and L.E. Niamh, is €7.8m, exclusive of VAT. The two new ships are being built by Babcock Marine in Appledore, Devon in the United Kingdom, the same shipyard where both L.E. Roisin and L.E. Niamh were built. The build programme for the first ship is well advanced and the float out of the ship, to be named LE Samuel Beckett, took place last Sunday evening in Devon. The ship will replace LE Emer which was decommissioned and sold by public auction late last month in Cork. The fitting out of the ship and the final build work will be completed over the next two months and it is expected that the ship will be ready for sea trials early in the New Year. The cutting of steel and the fabrication of units for the second ship is also well advanced and the keel laying ceremony for this ship took place last Monday. The second new ship will replace LE Aoife when it is delivered in early 2015.

This vessel replacement strategy combined with a continuous process of refurbishment and repair will ensure that the operational capability of the Naval Service is maintained at a satisfactory level. The acquisition of these new vessels with the very latest equipment suites will ensure that the Naval Service will be fully equipped to carry out its day to day roles in enforcing the State’s sovereign rights over our waters and our fisheries and meeting Ireland’s obligations in the area of maritime safety and security and fisheries protection.

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