Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 161, 168, 184 and 188 together.

The Naval Service currently has a fleet of eight commissioned vessels. These eight vessels consist of two P50 class large patrol vessels, four P60 class offshore patrol vessels, and two P70 inshore patrol vessels. The military authorities have advised that three of the P60 class offshore patrol vessels are currently available for operations and conduct patrols on a rotation basis. The fourth P60 vessel is currently undergoing a planned maintenance period. The LÉ Aoibhinn is fully operational and is regularly deployed on maritime defence and security operations within Irish territorial waters and the Irish exclusive economic zone, primarily along the east coast.

Taken together, this entails that at the moment there are two vessels actively operational at sea. The two P50 class vessels, the LÉ Róisín and the and LÉ Niamh are currently in operational reserve on the recommendation of the Naval Service.

Deputies will be aware of the challenges facing the Naval Service in recent years, namely around recruitment and retention. To that end, I am pleased to say that we have recently seen a positive uptake in the numbers of new recruits joining the Naval Service. This upturn, in my view, is attributable to a range of measures, including the doubling of the patrol duty allowance, which took effect in January 2024. The effect has been that no patrol days have been cancelled or lost during 2024 or to date in 2025. A total of 97 personnel were inducted into the Naval Service in 2024 consisting of 80 general service recruits, 13 cadets, two re-enlisted personnel, one direct entry electrical artificer, and one direct entry chef. To date in 2025, a further 37 personnel have been inducted into training in the Naval Service and the most recent strength figure available as of 9 April is 745 wholetime equivalent personnel, of an agreed establishment strength of 1,094.

In addition, we have invested heavily in improving the building infrastructure at Haulbowline, particularly focusing on improving the accommodation provided to serving personnel when on duty. To date, €13.5 million has been invested in providing additional accommodation. Since the inception of the Defence Forces infrastructure development plan €18.5 million has been invested in various projects across the naval base.

Extensive work is ongoing to oversee a turnaround in the level of operational activity by our Naval Service and to this end I instructed a team consisting senior military officers, led by our Chief of Staff, and my senior officials to conduct a detailed workshop with the Naval Service. We need an action plan now for the Naval Service. On foot of this three-day workshop, conducted in March, a detailed report from the military authorities is being prepared to include courses of action to increase the numbers of ships at sea.

With regard to contact with Dún Laoghaire, I do not have the most up-to-date information on that but I know how important the issue is to Dún Laoghaire. Having a presence on the east coast of Ireland, and particularly in Dún Laoghaire, is an issue of concern for Deputy Devlin, and I see great wisdom in it too.

See this speech in context