Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 2: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the recent report, A Voyage of Understanding; his views on the report's findings of low morale in the Naval Service; if he will address the many issues highlighted in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32597/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Naval Service is the maritime element of the Defence Forces and has a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements. The Naval Service operates eight general purpose patrol ships. All eight ships are involved in coastal and offshore patrolling and surveillance for the State in that part of the seas where State jurisdiction applies, such as internal waters, territorial sea and the Irish sector of the exclusive economic zone.

The main day-to-day role 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. The service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the exclusive fishery limits.

The current exclusive fishery limits extend to 200 miles off shore and cover an area of 132,000 square miles. The Naval Service currently patrols the entire 200-mile limit and periodically patrols beyond these limits to protect specific fisheries. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary. The number of patrol vessels on patrol in Irish waters at any one time varies between three and seven. The Naval Service is committed to having at least three vessels on patrol within the Irish exclusive economic zone at any one time. There are 1,682 patrol days per annum.

The reorganisation of the Naval Service was designed to ensure that, when fully implemented, all personnel would spend alternate periods of two years in a shore-based appointment followed by a ship-based appointment. Two years in a ship-based appointment does not imply that people spend two years at sea. This is managed locally by the flag officer commanding the Naval Service. However, where there are shortages of skilled personnel within the Naval Service, it may be necessary for personnel to carry out sea-going duties more frequently.

The impact of seagoing is well understood by Naval Service personnel at all levels and the service endeavours to operate a planned approach to the rotation of personnel between sea and shore.

Other than for able seamen, there is no particular problem with maintaining sea-shore rotation for personnel. There are, however, individual cases where this may not be exactly maintained. For example, personnel regularly apply to extend their period at sea beyond two years.

I am very much aware of the report referred to by the Deputy. On 19 September I held discussions with PDFORRA and I hope we are moving towards a resolution.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

I am pleased that in our meeting we agreed to a process to examine this issue and find potential solutions. A further series of meetings will take place between the deputy chief of staff — support — and PDFORRA over the coming months. The purpose of the meetings is to examine the complex issues raised by PDFORRA with a view to exploring a possible resolution. I will be monitoring progress in this area closely.

It goes without saying that members of the naval service go to sea. My Department and I are committed to ensuring that the Naval Service and the Defence Forces as a whole offer a challenging and rewarding career and a supportive working environment.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The Minister said he is aware of the report on the effects of long-term sea patrols on family life in the Naval Service, entitled A Voyage of Understanding. It is a large tome and it makes a number of conclusions, the first of which states:

Without in any way wanting to sound dramatic, the service as experienced by the surveyed membership is in crisis. This crisis is fixable given Government action only.

My question relates to the low morale in the Naval Service. A large cohort of people were surveyed in the PDFORRA study. More than 300 people were surveyed in total, including 212 serving members and 134 spouses. It is heart-rending to read some of the information on families and children and the references to breakdowns, depression and stress. These arise from what seems to be a very poorly managed service in respect of shore and sea rotation.

Everybody acknowledges that recruits join the Naval Service to go to sea. However, they are profoundly disappointed by the manner in which the system operates. It is very difficult to engage in family life, in spite of the expression of support for family life in the Constitution. The personnel feel so much could be done so easily and that management, in itself, cannot rectify the problem. Rather, it is felt that it can only be rectified directly through ministerial involvement. Can I take it from the Minister that there will be such involvement?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Costello is right. It is a big tome and it took me a long time to plough through it. I do not necessarily accept all the conclusions in the report. We do not have time to engage in a long debate on its intricate details, but I note that the situation seems to have worsened somewhat in recent times. I accept Deputy Costello's point that PDFORRA and the Naval Service are of the view that this requires ministerial involvement. That is why I decided to get involved personally. I called a meeting between the relevant army officers, PDFORRA and myself on 19 September. We set up a group comprising representatives from PDFORRA and the Naval Service as well as the deputy chief of staff on the support side. I have asked them to try to solve this problem. I will keep the situation monitored and I have told them to come back to me with a solution by January. I will sit down with them again in January, at the very latest.

From my discussions with the deputy chief of staff and the relevant officials in the Naval Service, together with the recruitment campaign that is underway at present within the service, I am reasonably confident that we will be able to solve this issue. As I said, I have taken personal charge of it because I realise it requires ministerial involvement and I am monitoring the situation. My approach is hands-on in this matter.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I welcome the Minister's reply. He is acknowledging and accepting the first recommendation in the report to the effect that the Minister should establish a formal review of the operation and management of the Naval Service regarding the patrol policy at sea. He is reviewing the situation.

The second recommendation is that he should immediately reduce the length of long-term sea patrols as an interim measure, pending the implementation of long-term changes.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I suppose one could say I am formally reviewing matters. That committee is formally reviewing it. Its members are working together to come up with a better way of doing things. Nothing can be done in the interim. We are making an attempt to get a more humane system. However, I do not necessarily accept all the conclusions in the report, as I said. For example, if one takes the number of patrol days we envisage, 1,680 per annum, it would require a ship to be at sea for 200 to 220 days. The maximum we expect anyone on ship duties to be at sea is about 160 days. In some cases, that has been exceeded. The statistics show that, in 2005, a total of 29 personnel served more than 180 days. In 2006, a total of 56 served more than 180 days. I have noticed a considerable worsening of the situation and that is why I have taken a hands-on approach. We are hoping to make one strenuous effort between us to get this matter sorted out.