James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the update. It is welcome to hear that an examination is under way, especially regarding the future use of the LÉ Eithne, including, perhaps, for tourist purposes within the State. It is, of course, of great historical significance. It was the last of our Naval Service ships that was constructed in Cobh in Cork Harbour. It would be fabulous to see it being retained somewhere in Cork. I do not want to start a tug of war between the constituencies of Cork South-Central and Cork East as to where the ship might be located. I would, though, love to see it remaining in our harbour for future use. It would be an important attraction to bring people along who may have an interest in joining our Defence Forces to see what life is like on board some of our naval vessels. I know that happens already, but to have a permanent fixture in place would be fantastic.

For many years, this ship gave great service to the State. This must be recognised. Many people undertook training and served in our Defence Forces on board the LÉ Eithne. It is important that we take this into consideration when examining the ship's future use. Is there any timeline for the work being undertaken? I refer specifically to the LÉ Eithne. I will leave it to my colleagues to raise the matter of the other ships. Is there any timeline in this regard concerning when a decision may be made about the LÉ Eithne?

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