Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I never interrupt a Corkman. The Tánaiste is more than welcome. I am delighted to have him here. It is a great honour to have a Tánaiste in the Chamber to discuss a Commencement matter. It is a rare event, so I acknowledge the Tánaiste's presence this morning.

This issue of recruitment to the Naval Service is very close to the hearts of the Tánaiste and his constituents. Our Naval Service has roughly 775 personnel, with 77 in the Reserve. The issue emerged last week when we had a comprehensive, multi-agency approach to a drugs seizure off the south-east coast that saw really significant co-operation involving the Defence Forces, the Coast Guard and the customs service. They had really good and positive success when they captured the ship and seized the contraband on it. It brought to light the real worry we have regarding the capacity of our Naval Service.

The Tánaiste might confirm that we have only two naval ships in active service at present, unfortunately. We have one on standby. This is a significant issue considering that 437,000 sq. km of water must be patrolled. This is an area roughly five times the size of Ireland. Trying to patrol an area five times the size of Ireland with two naval ships is a significant challenge, to say the very least. In addition, at both EU and national level, there are security issues that need to be examined. I am concerned that the EU, including Ireland, faces security issues regarding the fishing industry, the patrolling of waters, and customs and excise. This requires a significant body of work, considering what is required to patrol a body of water such as ours. How can we ensure that we have a Naval Service that is fit for purpose?

I fully understand that there is a commission, a report coming forward, and major work being done to ensure better pay and conditions for recruits. The work involves a significant challenge, taking into consideration that the unemployment rate is dropping below 4%. As the Tánaiste knows, in our part of the world there are competing demands regarding employment. I have heard stories of complete classes of Naval Service recruits going to multinationals halfway through training because they were of a certain standard. That is a significant challenge for us.

I would like clarity on the two new naval ships that I believe were purchased second-hand from New Zealand and brought here last May, having cost something like €26 million. This was a significant investment, which I really welcome, but where are we going to get the manpower to make sure we get these ships into the water? Basically, we need a pathway to ensure confidence in the Naval Service and to ensure people can be recruited. Those recruits can come into the main service or the Reserve, which has a role to play. With the Reserve strength as low as 77, it is really challenging to ensure the Reserve is appropriate.

As much as it is a great pleasure to have the Tánaiste here, I believe there is a significant challenge. I would like clarity on how we can get our Naval Service up to capacity to make sure we can patrol our waters.