Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The Deputy is right to highlight a particular challenge when it comes to our Naval Service. I join him in thanking its members for their exemplary service. We do need to grow our navy and that requires more men and women in our Naval Service. It also requires more than me just saying that at a headline level. It also involves identifying, as the Deputy rightly said, the specialist skills. What becomes very clear very quickly is that a couple of individuals with certain skill sets not being there can result in a ship not being able to go to sea. The pinch points that are there are real. They often relate to very specialist skills. That is why I have asked the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence to jointly produce a plan of action for the Naval Service. I am expecting to receive that very shortly - within a matter of weeks. There are then opportunities, both in the context of the budget and the capital plan which I have referenced, but also the local bargaining provisions that are available under the public sector pay agreements, to consider some of those specialist issues referenced by the Deputy in terms of various allowances that can be considered.

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