Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the posting of detailed information on the Internet about the movements of Naval Service vessels could be used by drug importers or others involved in illegal activities to avoid detection; his plans to review this procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15626/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Naval Service does not post ship movements on the internet. However, when a Naval vessel passes close to land or enters a port, on occasion its presence may be posted on the port's internet website or on that of ship enthusiasts.

There are other websites which display the movement of ships using data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS). AIS is a short range coastal tracking system, used onboard ships and by Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), for identifying and locating vessels by electronically exchanging data with other nearby ships and VTS stations. The Naval Service carries AIS but it is strictly controlled. Naval Service policy is that a Naval vessel will transmit its AIS data when leaving a controlled port, when transiting outside Irish waters or on any other occasion when the ship's Captain deems it appropriate. As a result, Irish Naval vessels will appear on the AIS tracking systems from time to time. At all other times, the AIS equipment operates passively, in that it can receive data but will not transmit data. This ensures that the location of a Naval vessel cannot be tracked, thereby preserving operational security. There is no risk that any information available on the internet regarding Naval vessel movement could be used by drug importers or others involved in illegal activities to avoid detection.