Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

They all are good questions. First, in respect of the fleet replacement programme, the White Paper states we want to have a minimum of eight ships in the fleet. We got a little bit caught out this year, if I am honest, as earlier in the year we had decommissioned theLE Aoifewithout having theLE James Joyceavailable and as a consequence were without one ship for a couple of months. We then also made a commitment to send a ship to the Mediterranean. TheLE Eithne, which basically has been the flagship for the Irish Naval Service for some time, was the first to go and we had an asbestos issue with one of the older ships. However, all those problems have been resolved and the fleet is back up and running fully.

The Deputy is correct in that the LE Aoifewas the oldest ship in the fleet. It is to become part of the Maltese Navy, probably for the next five years, while the Maltese seek to design and build a new vessel. However, that ship will be put to good use in a part of the world that badly needs capacity at sea, that is, in the Mediterranean. That vessel has been in Cork Harbour in a dockyard while getting a thorough survey and assessment as well as a bit of work done before going to the Mediterranean. However, I understand it will be leaving within the next three weeks. This is a big deal for the Maltese authorities who will be sending some of their senior military personnel to Cork for the ship's departure. The oldest ship in the fleet at present is the LE Aisling, which was built in 1980. Thereafter, the LE Eithne, the LE Ciaraand the LE Orlaare all from 1984. When theLE William Butler Yeatsarrives next summer, theLE Aislingwill be decommissioned. The next ship we will look potentially to replace may well be theLE Eithne. The capacity of that ship is different from all the other ships in that it is the only ship with a helicopter landing pad, although it is not used any more. Consequently, the Department is examining the possibility of what is described as a blue-green ship, which is a larger vessel that would have more capacity than simply being an offshore patrol vessel such as theLE Samuel Beckett, theLE James Joyceor theLE William Butler Yeats. Even though they are really good at what they do and are almost ideal ships for what is needed in Irish waters, I believe we need to have one ship in the fleet that is slightly larger, has more capacity, has a helipad and can play a role both at home and abroad that perhaps is more comprehensive than is possible with some of the other vessels. There now is enough in the capital programme, the Government having agreed it and published it yesterday, to be able to consider making replacements. Decisions must be made in respect of budgeting as to whether theLE Eithneis to be the first one or whether the LE Orlaor the LE Ciaraor both should come first. It takes about three years to decide that a ship is to be replaced. One then goes to tender for its design and build and then one actually builds it and our engineers are part of that. Am I under some time pressure?