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

If I were a member of the Naval Service, I would be surprised to hear a Member of this House calling for Naval Service personnel to be brought home from the Mediterranean to focus on their main role and what they were trained for, which, according to the Deputy, is fisheries protection. Fisheries protection is not the limit of what we ask Naval Service personnel to do. The Deputy may not be proud of the Government's decision to send ships to the Mediterranean, but I am. I am even more proud of how Defence Forces personnel have responded to the challenges faced there. They have taken over 17,000 people from the water, many of them children who would not be alive today were it not for the professionalism and intervention of the Naval Service. Out of pragmatism, we have shifted from a bilateral relationship with the Italian coastguard in the Mediterranean to a collective EU effort as part of Operation Sophia. Ireland has made it clear that our role in the operation is to participate in a humanitarian search and rescue mission, rather than in an offensive or war-going capacity. We have been asked to continue to assist because of our expertise in search and rescue missions. To make a point about pay, the Deputy has tried to twist the truth about the role of Defence Forces personnel - proud men and women - who are saving lives on a weekly basis in the Mediterranean. However, I do not believe many in the Defence Forces and, in particular, the Naval Service will appreciate the way in which she is making a case for them. Of course, there are challenges in recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service, which is why the Government asked the Public Service Pay Commission to examine these issues. The current strength of the Naval Service is slightly more than 1,0000 personnel or approximately 92% of its establishment of 1,094. The personnel level of the Naval Service has not changed in recent years. Many Naval Service personnel are targeted by the private sector because they are talented and motivated; therefore, recruitment and retention are ongoing issues. However, I assure the House that safety is not compromised by decisions made at an operational level by the flag officer or the Chief of Staff and that no ship will go to sea if there are safety issues for the crew.

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