Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Defence the proposed review of the duties carried out by personnel on naval vessels in order to address morale problems among sailors who have to spend long periods at sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27734/07]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the recommendations of the Naval Service/PDFORRA working group regarding the effects of patrol duties on personnel of the Naval Service as outlined in the report A Voyage of Discovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27755/07]

Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 31 together.

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.

In 2006 the Naval Service achieved an output 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.

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. While every effort is made to ensure that the two year rotation target is met, there are occasions when as a result of shortages of key skilled personnel it is necessary for personnel to carry out ship-based duties more frequently.

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

Following on from the report A Voyage of Discovery, a Naval Service/PDFORRA working group was set up and has made a number of recommendations. As a result, a new patrol duty pattern has recently been introduced and work is also ongoing on examining solutions to shortages of skilled personnel in critical areas. Other recommendations from the Working Group are currently being considered.

It goes without saying that members of the Naval Service have to go to sea. At the same time both the Department and the Minister are committed to ensuring that the Naval Service and the Defence Forces as a whole provides a challenging and rewarding career and a supportive working environment.