Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will take entire responsibility for that. There was a tradition of using Irish female names, substantially the names of mythical Irish females. I gave some thought to this, discussed it with colleagues and we discussed it within the Department. Our naval vessels on occasions visit ports abroad as flagships of this State, engage in events internationally, as we ask other states to engage with us with their vessels, and we have had various examples of that. In the context of the naming of naval ships, I concluded that to ensure when they go abroad the wider global public would see some identity with Ireland and some identity with a figure that is internationally known and respected, we should rethink an approach that has been adopted, effectively since 1922. We have very many literary giants, a disproportionate number compared to the size of the numbers on this island. In those conversations I concluded, having discussed it with other colleagues, that we should name some of our future ships after our major literary figures. We chose the nameSamuel Beckett for the first ship and the name James Joycefor the second, although they are not all going to be named after male literary figures.
Should we purchase a third ship, we have a name in mind that I think may be widely welcomed, if we manage to get to a point where we can contract for a third ship. There is no certainly about that at the moment because there are obvious issues about price and identifying the funding possibilities. It is not a matter I have yet discussed with Cabinet colleagues.

I expect the delivery time, should we do so, would probably not be until about 2017. These are issues for the future but I hope it would be seen as a change that is welcome and constructive. I know that whenever change is effected some people appreciate and applaud it and others criticise it but if it draws attention to the fact that we have new, fit-for-purpose ships coming on line to the benefit of our Navy and to the country, it is a welcome event. When we launch this ship we are hoping to have a Beckett-related event on the day, and I would anticipate that all members of this committee will be invited to the naming and the launch.