Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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953. To ask the Minister for Defence in view of the decommissioning of LE Emer in September 2013 and the LE Aoife in September 2014, if he will provide further details regarding the two replacement ships that are currently being built to replace them that are scheduled for delivery in early 2014 and early 2015 respectively; the persons building the new vessels and where they are being constructed; the length of time it will take for the crews to be fully trained in on the new vessels upon delivery to Ireland; if the delivery of the two vessels is still on schedule to ensure the Irish Naval Service is not left for an extended period of time without use of replacement ships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35098/13]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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954. To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 216 of 22 May 2013, if he will outline in tabular form the qualified persons who will be assisting his Department and the Irish Naval Service in the sale of the LE Emer and LE Aoife vessels, including the methodology for the sale process, when the vessels are decommissioned in both September 2013 and September 2014 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35103/13]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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955. To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 439 of 9 July 2013, if he will provide the names of persons and their rank or position that assisted both his Department and the Irish Naval Service in the naming of the two replacement vessels to be commissioned in early 2014 and 2015, the LE Samuel Beckett and LE James Joyce; the reasons for a policy shift in the naming of Irish vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35104/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 953 to 955, inclusive, together.

A contract was signed in October 2010, with Babcock Marine, part of the Babcock International Group, in the United Kingdom for the provision of two new offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Naval Service. The cost of the two new ships is €108m, exclusive of VAT. In addition, the cost of providing a weapons system for the ships, similar to the systems on L.E. Roisin and L.E. Niamh, is €7.8m, exclusive of VAT. The two new ships are being built by Babcock Marine in Appledore, Devon in the United Kingdom, the same shipyard where both L.E. Roisin and L.E. Niamh were built. The build programme for the first ship is on schedule. The cutting of steel for the second ship has already commenced. The two new ships will be larger vessels than L.E. Roisin and L.E. Niamh with a length of 89.5m. The ships will have a top speed of 23 knots and will have a crew of 44 plus the capacity to take 10 trainees.

The Naval Service will have a significant presence of experienced personnel in the Appledore Shipyard in the build up to the Harbour Acceptance Trials and the Sea Acceptance Trials on the ship scheduled to take place before the end of the year. This will allow the required time for personnel to build up familiarity with the workings of the new ship. As is the case with all new ships, the training process will continue when the ship arrives in the Naval Base in Cork and ongoing crew training will be part and parcel of normal patrolling.

On the issue of the decommissioning of Naval Service ships, the process for the selection of a qualified person / company to assist the Department and the Naval Service with the sale / disposal of L.E. Emer and L.E. Aoife is still ongoing and I am not in a position to give further details on the matter at this stage.

With regard to the change in naming policy for these new ships, I considered that the policy for naming Naval Service ships should be examined and I came to the view that the naming of the ships after world renowned Irish literary figures will facilitate greater recognition for our Naval Services when they are operating in the international maritime domain, particularly when they visit foreign ports. I am also of the view that the time is right for a change in our traditional approach of naming ships after Irish female mythological figures to an approach which reflects a more modern and inclusive Ireland.