Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Defence if, in view of the report on low morale in the Naval Service one year ago and the plan to patrol 1680 days per annum that would require 40 to 60 additional days at sea for Naval Service personnel, he is confident that the Naval Service has the capacity to patrol for and intercept drug smugglers. [22089/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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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 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.

In relation to drug trafficking, responsibility for the prevention of drug trafficking and other such illegal activities rests primarily with the Garda Síochána and the Revenue Commissioners. However, the White Paper on Defence provides for a security role for both the Naval Service and the Air Corps to assist and support the civil authorities in this important work. Government measures to improve law enforcement in relation to drugs, (including the establishment in 1993 of a Joint Task Force involving the Garda, the Customs Service and the Naval Service), have helped to maximise the effective use of Naval Service resources in combating drug trafficking. There is close co-operation between the civil authorities and the Naval Service in this important area and I am satisfied that the extent of Naval Service reconnaissance, in conjunction with the Garda and the Customs Service, has had a major and beneficial impact in deterring drug trafficking and other such illegal activities.

Last year the Naval Service achieved a total of 1,658 patrol days, of which over 90% related to fishery protection. In the course of these patrols, a total of 1,897 vessels were boarded, 19 were detained and 148 warnings were issued. These outputs reveal a focused and committed Naval Service that is continuing to produce high levels of performance.

A key element of the Naval Service Value for Money Implementation Plan, an outcome from the White Paper on Defence, was the requirement to produce a plan to deliver 1,680 patrol days annually with the establishment provided over the period 2000 to 2005. A system was introduced to operate patrol plans for 1,680 days per annum on an ongoing basis. Under the system a ship might be required to complete between 200 and 220 days at sea to achieve the 1,680 days required. However, relief personnel are provided to ensure that personnel on seagoing rotation should normally expect to undertake an average of approximately 160 days on patrol away from the Naval Base in a calendar year. For a wide variety of reasons some will do more and others less than this.

I am very much aware of the report A Voyage of Discovery, which I received in June 2006, and, following which, I held discussions with a PDFORRA delegation and representatives of the Naval Service regarding the effects of patrol duties on personnel of the Naval Service. I am pleased to say that our meeting reached agreement on a process to examine this issue and find potential solutions. A further series of meetings have taken place between the Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) and PDFORRA. The purpose of the meetings was to examine the complex issues raised by PDFORRA with a view to exploring a possible resolution. A Naval Service/PDFORRA working group was set up and has made a number of recommendations which are being considered with a view to implementing them.