Naval Service

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 December 2020

Wednesday, 16 December 2020

Questions (155)

Duncan Smith

Question:

155. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the measures being taken to increase linguistic skills and language capacity within the Naval Service in view of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44110/20]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

The Naval Service as a matter of course has, when conducting fisheries boarding, made use of language cards. These cards have been in use for a number of years and cover the phraseology required to conduct a fisheries inspection. The language cards are included in all boarding officers’ guides and cover the following languages:

- English;

- Danish;

- German;

- French;

- Irish;

- Dutch (Netherlands);

- Norwegian;

- Portuguese;

- Russian;

- Spanish.

Junior cadets under training also have, as part of their syllabus, Spanish Language training in Year 1. The Spanish fishing fleet is the largest Member state fishing fleet currently operating in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).