The naval requirements are satisfactory, the record of the Naval Service in relation to arrests and prosecutions has been excellent and the number of vessels at its disposal is adequate. A competition for a new vessel will come to a close at the end of this month or early next month. The building of this additional vessel will take from 18 months to two years. The three vessels LE Deirdre, LE Eimear and LE Aoife have been refurbished and refurbishment of LE Aisling is under way. The remaining vessels are due to undergo refitting in the period l998-2000. The Naval Service consists of seven patrol vessels which undergo regular and planned maintenance to meet operational requirements.
For the period 1 January l997 to 28 September l997, Naval Service records show 1,815 sightings, 867 boardings and 41 detentions of fishing vessels. The figures for l996 were 2,927 sightings, 1,204 boardings and 33 detentions of fishing vessels. Given such a record we should be proud of the work being done by the Naval Service. Maybe the answer to the Deputy's question is that we do not have enough vessels. The more vessels we have the better. Perhaps the smaller, faster, more manoeuvrable vessel might be considered, particularly in view of the efforts made by the Spaniards, in particular, to hoover the oceans of fish on the one hand and the drug operators on the other. I take the Deputy's point.