Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the procurement of new ships for the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54704/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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There is a fleet of eight ships available to the Naval Service, seven of which are currently in operational service. In order to maintain maximum availability and serviceability, major maintenance for each vessel is planned in advance and is incorporated into an annual patrol plan for the Naval Fleet. LE Niamh is undergoing scheduled maintenance at present and will be back in service later this month. A strategy for the replacement of Naval Service Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) is currently in train. A contract was signed in October 2010 with Babcock Marine in the United Kingdom for the provision of two new ships.

The construction of the first ship is well underway in Appledore. The first ship is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. The second ship will follow one year later. I understand that the production schedule is proceeding on time and in accordance with the contract and that to date there are no difficulties foreseen. The acquisition of these modern new vessels is a priority for the Defence Forces. These acquisitions 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 in the coming years.