Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to re-instate the sail-training programme Coiste an Asgard; if he has considered replacing the [i]Asgard II[/i] sailing vessel which sank off the coast of France on 11 September 2008; if he has received an insurance payment for the vessel following its sinking; if so, the purpose for which the insurance payment was used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11921/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The position is that the previous Government decided in the context of settling the Estimates for the Department of Defence for 2010 that the national sail training scheme operated by Coiste an Asgard would be discontinued as recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. As a result, the sum of €3.8m representing the insured value of Asgard II was transferred to the Department of Finance as Extra Exchequer Receipts.

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to invest in new vessels for use by the Naval Service to protect Irish waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11922/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Following a two-stage tender competition a contract was awarded in October 2010 to the preferred bidder, Babcock Marine in the UK for the provision of two new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Naval Service. Preparations for the construction of these new vessels have commenced and the first new vessel is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. The second vessel will follow one year later. The acquisition of these modern new vessels, combined with a continuous process of refurbishment and repair, will ensure that the operational capability of the Naval Service is maintained at a satisfactory level.