Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I suppose one could say I am formally reviewing matters. That committee is formally reviewing it. Its members are working together to come up with a better way of doing things. Nothing can be done in the interim. We are making an attempt to get a more humane system. However, I do not necessarily accept all the conclusions in the report, as I said. For example, if one takes the number of patrol days we envisage, 1,680 per annum, it would require a ship to be at sea for 200 to 220 days. The maximum we expect anyone on ship duties to be at sea is about 160 days. In some cases, that has been exceeded. The statistics show that, in 2005, a total of 29 personnel served more than 180 days. In 2006, a total of 56 served more than 180 days. I have noticed a considerable worsening of the situation and that is why I have taken a hands-on approach. We are hoping to make one strenuous effort between us to get this matter sorted out.

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