Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 March 2022
105. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Defence his views on the need to ensure the Defence Forces has the capability to patrol Irish territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13361/22]
View answerMy priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.
The Naval Service, as the State's principal sea-going agency, is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main day to day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks in tandem with maritime surveillance. As such any Naval Service patrol should be viewed as a multi-faceted activity. The Naval Service carry out a significant security role. By its nature, often that security role goes unrecognised or unacknowledged but it is vital to Ireland's national priorities and interests. In terms of fishery protection, the Naval Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the EEZ.
The Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron carries out aerial surveillance of the EEZ using two CASA 235 maritime patrol aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment which offers aerial assistance to the Naval Service in patrolling the EEZ.
At any one time the Naval Service can have a number of ships on active operations around the Irish EEZ whilst a number of others are undergoing routine resupply, maintenance and down time for ships companies.
The White Paper on Defence sets out an ambitious programme of capital investment in the Naval Service, including the mid-life refit and upgrade of the P50 class of vessels, and the replacement of the flagship LÉ Eithne with a multi-role vessel (MRV). The MRV is an important element of the Defence Equipment Development Plan and is provided for in the Government's National Development Plan as a major capital project. It is the Government’s intention that this new vessel will provide a flexible and adaptive capability for a wide range of maritime tasks.
The White Paper on Defence also provides for the replacement of the CASA 235s with consideration to be given to their replacement with larger more capable aircraft. A contract for the supply of two C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft was entered into with Airbus Defence and Space in December 2019, with delivery of the aircraft expected in 2023.
With regard to security and surveillance matters within Irish territorial waters, primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State rests with An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice. One of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is to provide Aid to the Civil Power which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Siochána when requested to do so. This assistance can include direct support from the Naval Service.
The Commission on the Defence Forces recently published their report on the 9th February 2022. The Commission have undertaken a significant body of work encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. The report contains 69 main recommendations and together with sub recommendations, there are 130 recommendations. The Commission's terms of reference included the consideration of appropriate capabilities, structures and staffing for the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service.
It is anticipated that this process will take at least four to five months in order to bring a considered and comprehensive proposal back to Government to address the fundamental issues that the Commission have set out.
