Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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4. To ask the Minister for Defence the measures being taken in relation to asbestos on naval service vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26112/14]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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In April I raised a topical issue arising out of media reports that asbestos had been found on the Navy vessels the LE Aoife, the LE Ciaraand the LE Orla. Recently, there is renewed speculation about the LE Eithneamid reports that up to 150 military and civilian personnel may have been impacted or exposed to the asbestos material. We seek to establish the position from the Minister of State.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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At the outset I would like to assure the Deputy that the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in the Naval Base is of primary concern. I am advised by the Naval Service that it is following all Health and Safety Authority, HSA, guidelines while dealing with the current situation.

Earlier this year while work was being carried out on both LE Orlaand LE Ciaramaterial which was suspected as being asbestos was found on both ships. Both Cork Dockyard Ltd and the Naval Service called in external expertise to carry out a full survey and analysis of the ships which confirmed that the material was asbestos - a particular type of white asbestos called chrysotile.

The Naval Service contacted the HSA and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. The HSA has launched its own investigation into the incident and this is ongoing. I am advised that the HSA has visited the Naval Base a number of times and has served the Naval Service with an improvement notice under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

All staff on board LE Ciara, LE Orlaand in the Naval Service dockyard, including the civilian workforce, have been briefed on the situation to date. All Naval Service personnel who may have come into contact with asbestos have been screened by the Naval Medical Officer. Medical screening of civilian employees by an occupational health practitioner has commenced and will be completed in the coming weeks.

Since the discovery of asbestos, air sampling and monitoring has been conducted by an external contractor on both ships and in the transport workshops and the samples taken were found to be safe. As part of the requirements under the HSA improvement notice, the Naval Service has engaged an external company, Abestaways, who are specialists in asbestos removals, to undertake the deep "environmental clean" of the two ships. This clean-up commenced on 26 May and is estimated to take a number of weeks. On completion of this process an independent asbestos consultancy company, Phoenix Environmental, will carry out air monitoring, analysis and third party assurance and reissue a re-occupational certificate as required by the HSA.

I am advised by the Naval Service that a full asbestos audit of all ships in the fleet will be carried out and in the interim a full asbestos risk assessment will be carried out prior to any work commencing. As I mentioned previously, this matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness and attention by the Department of Defence and the Naval Service. The Naval Service will be launching a formal accident investigation team to investigate all aspects behind this occurrence and to ensure that there is no repetition in the future. I understand that the HSA investigation is likely to take some time to complete. The Department will ensure that any recommendations emanating from the HSA findings will be acted upon immediately.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Can the Minister confirm the number of Navy vessels that are tied up as a result of this difficulty? Will he further confirm that consultants were engaged previously by the Naval Service to assess the fleet and that the consultancy found that asbestos was not a problem aboard these vessels? The Minister tells us there has been screening of those who potentially may have been exposed to the asbestos, asbestos dust being the major difficulty. What arrangements has his Department put in place to ensure there is ongoing screening of people so exposed because there is a risk for people exposed to asbestos that they will develop pleural plaques? As we know, that can lead to the development of asbestosis, which is a particularly nasty condition to say the least.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy asked about the fleet and the operational duties. The Naval Service is currently operating with six ships, which is 75% of allocated resources. It is inevitable that a lower level of operational output will continue over the coming months until the fleet is fully operational again. Where the Naval Service would on occasion visit harbours, specifically over the summer months, that has been curtailed and the remaining vessels put into operational duty because some of the vessels are tied up for examination.

The Deputy referred to personnel. All staff aboard the LE Ciaraand the LE Orlaand those in the Naval Service dockyard, including the civilian workforce, have been briefed on the position to date. All Naval Service personnel who have come into contact with asbestos have been screened by the Naval Medical Officer. In addition, health surveillance is being offered to all staff in accordance with regulations. Medical screening of civilian employees by an occupational health practitioner has been offered in accordance with regulations to all staff. Medical screening of civilian employees by an occupational health practitioner has commenced and will be completed in the coming weeks. An occupational health practitioner in asbestos has been briefed also. I assure the Deputy that this medical screening will be continued if needs be to make sure there are no dangers in place for staff.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the suggestion that there can be ongoing screening if medically recommended. The Minister has not clarified the position on the LE Eithne. Is it tied up as a result of concerns about asbestos in her forward pump room? Also, can the Minister tell us if it is the case that consultants in the area of asbestos were brought in by the Minister's Department and the Naval Service, that they examined these ships and told the Naval Service that everything was fine? If such consultants did so report, what will his Department do about that? The Minister listed at least two other consultancies that he intends bringing into play in this process but if a previous consultant gave inaccurate and erroneous advice, what is to be done about them?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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A consultant was brought in previously. Off the top of my head I cannot tell the Deputy the year but I am almost sure, and I can revert to him by way of correspondence, that consultancy is no longer in business.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I am not surprised.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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There is no way the Department can go back to that company but I will clarify that by way of correspondence with the Deputy. It could have been early 2000 or a little later, but I am not certain on the date.

The Deputy asked me about the LE Aoife-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The LE Eithne.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I am aware a report is being done on one of the ships. I will come back to the Deputy on that.