Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, for coming to the House to deal with this important issue, which relates to the progression of a naval base at Dún Laoghaire. The Minister of State will be aware that in recent years Ireland has procured two coastal patrol vessels from the New Zealand navy. These are in the possession of the Irish Naval Service. One of them, the LÉ Aoibhinn, is currently docked in Dún Laoghaire Harbour. I understand that the plan is that they will be used as coastal patrol vessels in the Irish Sea and along the east coast. It seems that the perfect place to base them in those circumstances is Dún Laoghaire Harbour, which is accessible at all points of the tide. This means there is 24-hour access for ships like that in and out of Dún Laoghaire Harbour. It is not a busy commercial harbour, so it is not going to interfere with operations in the way it might in larger, busier harbours like Dublin Port, for example, or some of the other large commercial ports along the east coast. Dún Laoghaire is also close to Dublin, midway along the east coast, so it will be an easy point from which to service the whole of the Irish Sea.

Equally, it is a very important opportunity to take what is a valuable heritage asset for the State and make it useful in serving the State. Dún Laoghaire Harbour is over 200 years old. It is an enormous Victorian harbour with lots of space. Over the past number of years, it has ceased its commercial function in many respects. The Stena Line had served as a link between Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead, but it ceased operations in 2015. Since then, there has been a need for great investment in the harbour. It is primarily a leisure port, but this does not mean it does not have capacity to do that. The old ferry terminal building is vacant. More importantly, there is a pier there which is unused at the moment. It would require a bit of infrastructural investment to make the pier usable by the Naval Service. There is a real opportunity to make Dún Laoghaire Harbour that base.

I do not know if plans have been finalised in this regard. I am asking the Minister of State for an update. I have been in touch with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, which owns and operates Dún Laoghaire Harbour as one of its subsidiaries. I know there has been some discussion, but I am not sure what stage this is at.

From the point of view of the Naval Service in the first instance, this is the perfect match in view of the fact that the harbour is equipped to deal with such vessels such as those in question, particularly in light of its geographic location and the fact that it can facilitate easy access to the Irish Sea for the one or two patrol vessels to do the job they need to do. We know that the Naval Service needs to build up capacity in this regard.

In tandem with this, there is also a real opportunity for Dún Laoghaire, which has in some respects lost its greater function, to be more than just a leisure harbour. It is wonderful at that, as I can attest, but it can do so much more for the Irish State and the community adjacent to it by facilitating the LÉ Aoibhinn and perhaps other vessels in berthing there and in patrolling the Irish Sea.

I absolutely support at least getting to level of ambition 2, referred to in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, and going further. This has to be part of that. I know the Minister of State will agree that there are massive deficits in our lines of defence. One does not have to be gung ho on militarisation to understand that as a militarily non-aligned country, we have to have the capacity to defend ourselves. The function these ships can perform is a defensive one, but it also involves patrolling and carrying out customs, fisheries and drug trafficking enforcement. There is so much work to be done in that regard by the Irish Naval Service. Those in the service have enormous skill sets. We need to work to bulk these up in order to make sure that the service can do the job to which I refer. We also need to provide the service with a base from which its vessels can operate. Dún Laoghaire Harbour seems to be the perfect place to do that. Will the Minister of State provide an update on where the negotiations stand or on whether a decision has been made in respect of this matter?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, who, unfortunately, cannot be present. He asked me to pass on his apologies to the House. On his behalf, I welcome the opportunity to respond on this matter and thank Deputy Ward for his question.

At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the long association between the Naval Service and Dún Laoghaire. There is a long-standing tradition of Naval Service ships using harbours and piers on the east coast for shelter and shore leave. The Report of the Commission on Defence Forces calls for the development of an east-coast base for the Naval Service. Reflecting this, the programme for Government has also recognised the need for an east-coast base. In that regard, the Naval Service has been asked to submit a fully worked-up business case setting out full infrastructure requirements for marine and support-related elements.

As the Deputy will be aware, the issue of an east-coast base has been discussed in the context of the inshore patrol vessels, IPVs, LÉ Aoibhinn and LÉ Gobnait. These IPVs were acquired with a particular focus on east-coast operations, where they are well suited to key missions like the protection of critical infrastructure. With the LÉ Aoibhinn becoming operational in 2024, the then Tánaiste gave approval to lease berthage in Dún Laoghaire Harbour to support east-coast operations in the short term, likely for a period of five years. With that in mind, the Department has been in discussions with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the owner of Dún Laoghaire Harbour, regarding the possibility of leasing berthage for exclusive use by the Naval Service. I am advised that discussions are well advanced and agreement in principle has been reached.

A Naval Service regeneration plan is due to be submitted for the Tánaiste's consideration. This plan has been devised on foot of a detailed workshop held between senior military officers, led by the Chief of Staff, and senior officials in the Department. The issue of additional naval bases, on the east coast or elsewhere, will be considered in the context of that awaited plan and recommendations arising from same.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am glad to hear that work is continuing apace. I am glad to hear there is an agreement in principle. We have an opportunity here and one of the things we are lucky to have as a State is a team of committed people, not just in Óglaigh na hÉireann but specifically in the Naval Service. We do need to make it into a navy. We need to give it the equipment and the personnel necessary to operate as a navy, thereby allowing it to serve the people of this country and patrol our waters. More than most countries in the European Union, Ireland has an enormous exclusive economic zone relative to our territorial space. There is a real job to be done here. We have spent quite a lot of time discussing the level of ambition that was set out in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. It is now time to put that into action.

I appreciate that we have increased spending on the military and on defence. We have increased the level of expenditure by 50% in the past six years. I recognise the new ambition set out in the budget. If we seriously expect people not to leave Óglaigh na hÉireann and go into other careers that might be more lucrative or, more importantly, if we expect people to join Óglaigh na hÉireann and commit themselves to serving this country, then we have to make it worth their while. We have to ensure that the facilities are there for them, that the terms and conditions are there for them, that the equipment is there for them and that we have enough people to serve on the vessels we have in order to ensure that those vessels can do the job they have to do.

The vessels to which I refer do not come cheap.

Buying two inshore patrol vessels from the New Zealand navy and then not operating them is madness in the extreme. Let us make sure we address this and that we deliver for the Defence Forces and the people who serve in them. As I said, one of the ways we can do that, and I hope this is something that will come to fruition sooner rather than later, is to guarantee that Dún Laoghaire Harbour will be the base for the two inshore patrol vessels, namely, LÉ Aoibhinnand LÉ Gobnait. It makes sense to do so and I hope the Department will commit to doing it with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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As previously outlined, the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces called for the development of an east coast base for the Naval Service. While IPVs can currently operate from Haulbowline, it is a strategic goal of the Defence Forces to develop a forward-operating base on the east coast. I agree with Deputy Ward on the need for the Government to start implementing some of the recommendations outlined by the commission.

In the short term, the Department has engaged with the county council to agree terms for the use of Carlisle Pier, with agreement in principle reached. The securing of berthage facilities in Dún Laoghaire will support the operational activity of the inshore patrol vessels, particularly in patrolling the east coast. The Naval Service regeneration plan is awaited to provide further insight. The potential location of any future east coast base will be considered in the context of that plan and recommendations arising from it. I will be sure to relay Deputy Ward's very positive contribution this evening to the Tánaiste. I am sure he has made the same points to him both publicly and privately in recent times.