Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

The patrol of our coasts and coastal waters is a mammoth task for the Defence Forces, customs, An Garda Síochána, the RNLI and the Coast Guard. I want to put on record my admiration for those involved in the seizing of the MV Matthew and the drugs haul that came with it. The work done by the Defence Forces, the RNLI and An Garda Síochána has borne great fruits for this country in stopping the drug shipment. The patrolling of this enormous exclusive economic area is a very difficult task. Is there a role for more economical means, such as the use of long-range sophisticated scout drones to patrol these waters? This would also save money and carbon emissions. It is an opportunity for us to patrol these waters more effectively and do so in a more economical way.

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