Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters, as necessary.

The Naval Service has recently adopted a three-ship operational posture with two ships operational and another ship on stand-by. The decision to reduce the number of operational ships was made as a result of the previously acknowledged recruitment and retention difficulties in the Naval Service, in particular for specialist positions. This strategic decision has been taken to streamline operations, bolster existing capabilities and ensure optimal resource allocation in the Naval Service.

A total of 31 scheduled Naval Service patrol days have been cancelled in the last 12 months due to staffing issues. There have been no patrol days cancelled since the change in operational posture in August 2023.

There is no easy fix to the current retention and recruitment challenges facing the Naval Service and the wider organisation, which are well documented, but the commitment, courage and excellence of our serving members is clear. This is part of our ongoing investment in our Defence Forces; in its people, infrastructure, capabilities and culture.

I was delighted to announce that the patrol duty allowance paid to Naval Service personnel will be doubled after ten days at sea. This measure took effect from 1 January 2024. I very much welcome this new measure, which provides greater clarity on the overall package available to our Naval Service personnel and potential recruits.

In addition to the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces, there are a number of initiatives currently under way to counter ongoing staffing challenges. As part of the Naval Service-specific recruitment campaign, there has been a Naval Service-specific advertising campaign. Ongoing general service recruitment, including for the Naval Service, remains open throughout the year. In 2023 a total of 68 personnel were inducted into the service. This comprised 57 general service recruits, five cadets, one re-enlisted personnel, one re-commissioned operations officer, one direct entry electrical engineering officer, one direct entry electrical artificer and two direct entry engine room artificers. In addition, proposals for direct entry competitions within the Naval Service have been progressed and implemented. In 2023 the Department engaged CPL Recruitment to provide external specialist recruitment expertise to validate and assess the Defence Forces current recruitment methods.

See this speech in context