asked the Minister for Defence what are the plans of his Department to provide adequate protection for coastal fishery limits; and if it is the intention to add to the existing fleet.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Protection of Fishery Limits.
134.
An tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh will continue as hitherto to do everything possible within the limits of its resources to afford the protection mentioned by the Deputy.
An addition to the present fleet of corvettes is not at present contemplated.
How many corvettes are there?
There are three.
How many are in commission?
One.
Does the Minister consider that one is sufficient to protect our fisheries?
Well, that would depend on the circumstances of any given occasion.
The given occasion arises sometimes off the north coast when the corvettes are on the south coast.
I am not saying it is satisfactory.
Satisfactory? It is most unsatisfactory. Is it not a fact that there is only one crew available?
That is mainly true.
It is true, and is it not a fact that the Minister's Department were unable to recruit personnel for fresh crews?
That is largely true also, and to meet it, we did give an increase of seagoing pay last year and we do carry out certain recruiting campaigns.
In view of the fact that the Minister's recruiting campaign was a failure, it is obvious that the rise in pay was not enough. Therefore, I would ask him to improve the conditions in the service and then to launch a fresh recruiting campaign. In view of the fact——
The Deputy seems to be making a speech.
He does not know what he is doing.
I know I was sent here by my constituents to do a job and I am going to do it.
Not at Question Time.
Is the Minister aware that the fisheries of Ireland are being raided by a foreign armada and that there is only one corvette available to stand them off; and is the Minister aware that there is another corvette at Cobh which is being subjected to a process of cannibalisation in order to obtain spare parts?
The Deputy seems to be giving information instead of asking for information.
It is a good idea for Deputies to give information to Ministers sometimes because it seems that they need it. Will the Minister assure the House that he will take steps to look into this matter, not to increase the fleet of corvettes but to purchase some fishery cruisers?
As I have already told the Deputy, the life of the existing corvettes will run from four to six years according to surveys and major refits carried out in 1957, 1958 and 1960 on each of the three boats in succession. The replacement of the boats is a matter which is under consideration, probably not very active at the moment in view of the period still to elapse, but the type of boat to replace them is a matter which is being given active consideration by the Department of Defence and it will, of course, require final Government sanction when a suitable recommendation can be worked out. That we have not got crews for the three boats at the moment is due conclusively to the fact that there are too many opportunities for other well-paid employment, particularly in the areas in which we would expect to get the personnel.
Question No. 135.
Is the Minister not aware the reason he is not getting recruits is that the conditions are so bad?
No.
I have called the next question.