Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2024
108. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the extent to which coastal, air and sea surveillance continues at pace, given the various threats in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22330/24]
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 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 maritime surveillance, drug interdiction, 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 Operations Command Centre located at Naval Base Haulbowline is staffed twenty four hours a day seven days a week by qualified Naval Service personnel who carry out monitoring and surveillance of all vessels equipped with a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) that are operating in and adjacent to the Irish EEZ.
Aerial monitoring and surveillance of the Irish EEZ is carried out by the Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron. Two new C295 maritime patrol aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment were delivered to the Air Corps in 2023 to replace the existing CASA CN235 aircraft. Following an intensive period of training and verification, the new aircraft have commenced operations.
