Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On the numbers, there were 1,094 personnel in 2019. That is now down to 722. A determination has not been made yet on how many more are required to reach llevel of ambition 2. I assume that figure will be made available fairly soon.

Irish waters make up 12% of all EU waters and 75% of subsea cables in the northern hemisphere pass through or near Irish waters. To monitor, surveil and secure these extensive waters, we have approximately one third fewer naval personnel than needed, we can put but a single ship to sea, and we have no subsea monitoring capabilities. I accept the Tánaiste inherited the recruitment and retention crisis and an ageing fleet but the fact of the matter is, under this Government, we have fewer naval personnel and can put them to sea less days a year than before he came to office. On a yearly basis, we should accept perhaps five to 15 retirements or discharges from the Naval Service. Under this Government, however, there has been an average of more than 100. The Tánaiste cannot simply fix a leaky bucket with more water. The issue has been compounded through a lack of capital investment.

At what point does the Tánaiste intend our Naval Service to once again have the capacity to participate in UN-mandated missions and meet its obligations at home in terms of fisheries protection, search and rescue assistance and drug interdiction? When will the Naval Service finally have the capacity to adequately monitor sovereign waters?

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