Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2023
172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the plans, if any, afoot to ensure the availability of all naval vessels needed to patrol our shorelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42800/23]
View answerThe Naval Service, as the State's principal sea-going agency, is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main daily tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with our obligations as a member of the EU, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks including contraband interdiction duties, search and rescue, and maritime defence and security operations (MDSO). As such, any Naval Service patrol should be viewed as a multi-faceted activity.
The Naval Service has recently adopted a three ship operational posture with two ships operational and another ship on standby.
The decision to reduce the number of operational ships was made as a result of the previously acknowledged recruitment and retention difficulties in the Naval Service, in particular for specialist positions. This strategic decision has been taken in order to streamline operations, bolster existing capabilities, and ensure optimal resource allocation in the Naval Service.
The Naval Service is continuing to conduct maritime surveillance and fisheries patrols in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), augmented by the Air Corps CASA CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft which are equipped with state of the art surveillance and communication equipment, and the Irish Naval Service Fisheries Monitoring Centre in Haulbowline continues to remotely monitor vessels in the EEZ on a 24/7 basis.
While progress has been made and work is ongoing in a number of areas to support our Naval Service such as the revision of terms and conditions for certain specialists, and flexibility on the starting point of the pay scale for certain direct entry, further work needs to be done. This is in addition to significant investment in Haulbowline in terms of accommodation and other infrastructural works.
My immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces and thereafter increasing strength to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.
