Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At the outset I would like to assure the Deputy that the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in the Naval Base is of primary concern. I am advised by the Naval Service that it is following all Health and Safety Authority, HSA, guidelines while dealing with the current situation.

Earlier this year while work was being carried out on both LE Orlaand LE Ciaramaterial which was suspected as being asbestos was found on both ships. Both Cork Dockyard Ltd and the Naval Service called in external expertise to carry out a full survey and analysis of the ships which confirmed that the material was asbestos - a particular type of white asbestos called chrysotile.

The Naval Service contacted the HSA and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. The HSA has launched its own investigation into the incident and this is ongoing. I am advised that the HSA has visited the Naval Base a number of times and has served the Naval Service with an improvement notice under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

All staff on board LE Ciara, LE Orlaand in the Naval Service dockyard, including the civilian workforce, have been briefed on the situation to date. All Naval Service personnel who may have come into contact with asbestos have been screened by the Naval Medical Officer. Medical screening of civilian employees by an occupational health practitioner has commenced and will be completed in the coming weeks.

Since the discovery of asbestos, air sampling and monitoring has been conducted by an external contractor on both ships and in the transport workshops and the samples taken were found to be safe. As part of the requirements under the HSA improvement notice, the Naval Service has engaged an external company, Abestaways, who are specialists in asbestos removals, to undertake the deep "environmental clean" of the two ships. This clean-up commenced on 26 May and is estimated to take a number of weeks. On completion of this process an independent asbestos consultancy company, Phoenix Environmental, will carry out air monitoring, analysis and third party assurance and reissue a re-occupational certificate as required by the HSA.

I am advised by the Naval Service that a full asbestos audit of all ships in the fleet will be carried out and in the interim a full asbestos risk assessment will be carried out prior to any work commencing. As I mentioned previously, this matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness and attention by the Department of Defence and the Naval Service. The Naval Service will be launching a formal accident investigation team to investigate all aspects behind this occurrence and to ensure that there is no repetition in the future. I understand that the HSA investigation is likely to take some time to complete. The Department will ensure that any recommendations emanating from the HSA findings will be acted upon immediately.

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