Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister very much for those remarks, particularly about the connection between Dún Laoghaire Harbour and the Naval Service. That is a connection we want to maintain, as I am sure he can appreciate. I am also glad that he raised the 75th anniversary of our Naval Service. It is important to acknowledge the great work undertaken by our Naval Service and the wider Defence Forces.

The Minister mentioned Operation Pontus in the Mediterranean, for which the LÉ Eithneand the Naval Service were awarded freedom of entry to the county, and how the EU awarded our Defence Forces in 2015 for their work. It is important to recognise the thousands of lives our Naval Service and Defence Forces have saved, particularly in the Mediterranean. Can the Minister outline the current scope of operations being undertaken by our Defence Forces in that region at present?

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