Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

No. What happens if something comes to the attention of the Naval Service is that it contacts the Garda Síochána and takes direction from it. That is my understanding of how the system operates.

Regarding the €15 million to which Deputy O'Shea adverted earlier, that will not affect our programme of Naval Service vessel replacement. We are evaluating tenders on the replacement of those ships and that will be completed shortly. It will be a decision of the Government as to whether we can order new ships at that point. That was the original decision. I have to go back to Government on that.

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