Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Defence if the Naval Service is adequately equipped and upgraded to meet expected requirements such as participation in international operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3796/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Naval Service provides the maritime element of the Defence Forces and has a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements. In the 2000 White Paper on Defence, the Government decided that the Naval Service would be based on an eight ship flotilla and committed to a modernisation and replacement strategy to maximise the operational capacity of those eight vessels consistent with the roles assigned to the Naval Service. All eight ships are involved in coastal and offshore patrolling and surveillance for the State in that part of the seas where State jurisdiction applies such as Internal Waters, Territorial Sea and the Irish Sector of the Exclusive Economic Zone. As a matter of standing policy, Naval Service assets are not deployed on overseas peace support operations and there are no plans to develop such capacity at this time.

Naval Service Vessels are replaced when they have come to the end of their useful life, which is normally around 30 years. Three ships will fall due for replacement over the next 3 to 5 years — LE Emer, commissioned in 1978, LE Aoife, commissioned in 1979 and LE Aisling, commissioned in 1980.

Following a detailed examination of the needs of the Naval Service within my Department a vessel replacement strategy for the Naval Service was put in place. The strategy combined with a continuous process of refurbishment will ensure that the operational capability of the Naval Service is maintained at a satisfactory level. A procurement process for the acquisition of replacement vessels is currently ongoing. The acquisition of these modern new vessels will ensure that the Naval Service will be fully equipped to carry out its day to day roles in enforcing the State's sovereign rights over our waters and our fisheries and meeting Ireland's obligations in the area of maritime safety and security and fisheries protection.