John Brady
Ceist:77. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence the number of Naval Service operations and patrols which have been cancelled to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5217/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 2 February 2022
Ceisteanna (77)
Freagraí scríofa
The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. In terms of fishery protection the Naval Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary.
Scheduled patrol days can be impacted by a range of factors including adverse weather conditions and unscheduled maintenance, as well as staffing issues.
A total of 10 scheduled Naval Service patrol days have been cancelled to date in 2022. All of the cancelled patrol days are due to members of a ship's crew contacting Covid 19.
Notwithstanding some mechanical and staffing issues being experienced, the Naval Service continues to carry out the roles assigned by Government, including fishery protection and maritime security operations.