I do not mind. I am quite happy to continue and since that is what the Deputy wants, that is what I will do.
The 5% margin is designed to facilitate events which militate against achieving the full target, such as mechanical failure, temporary specialist shortages and other unforeseen occurrences. No Naval Service vessel is tied up as a result of a shortage of personnel. Where planned patrol effort has been affected in the past by unforeseen events, including temporary specialist shortages, the Naval Service has very successfully managed to minimise the consequences of such events. In addition, the Naval Service has undertaken a range of measures to address particular areas such as general recruitment, direct entry schemes, development of training resources and review of training programmes.
The main day-to-day role of the Naval Service, as a component of the Defence Forces, is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union.
As part of the modernisation process, in December 2000 I authorised a new organisation for the Naval Service which saw an increase in personnel numbers from 959 serving at that time to a new establishment of 1,144. Given the specialist nature of many of the additional positions, it was not possible to fill them until such time as personnel had completed the necessary training. It was always accepted that it would take a number of years for all the appointments to be filled by suitably qualified people.
I am aware of the particular difficulties regarding the deployment of ships' engineering staff, especially engine-room artificers and electrical artificers. The position with engine-room artificers is that the number of such appointments in the Naval Service was increased from 76 to 85 following the reorganisation of the service.
A total of 70 engine-room artificers are serving at present and a further eight will complete their naval training later this year. The situation will continue to improve as significant numbers of trainee engine-room artificers complete their training and come on stream over the next four years. In addition to the eight I have already mentioned, a further 29 apprentices-trainee technicians are currently at various stages in the training process. They will all come on stream over the next four years and will meet both the current shortfall and replace any further wastage that may occur.
The position with electrical artificers is that the number of such appointments in the Naval Service was increased from 42 to 48 following the reorganisation of the service. A total of 42 are serving at present. A further 18 are at various stages in the training process and will come on stream in the coming years.
The reorganisation of the Naval Service was designed to ensure that when fully implemented, all personnel would spend alternate periods of two years in a shore-based appointment followed by two years in a ship-based appointment. In this regard, two years in a ship-based appointment does not imply that people spend two years at sea.
While the increased number of specialist appointments for both engine-room artificers and electrical artificers could not all be filled instantly, thus creating some transitional short-term difficulties, I am assured by the military authorities that the arrangements in place to provide suitably trained and qualified personnel will see an early improvement in the situation.