Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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815. To ask the Minister for Defence the plans in place for the commissioning of the LE Samuel Beckett as the newest vessel in the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13186/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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A contract was signed in October, 2010 with Babcock International in the United Kingdom for the provision of two new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV’s) for the Naval Service. The first of the two ships to be called LE Samuel Beckett is a replacement for LE Emer. LE Emer was decommissioned and sold late last year. The Sea Trials for LE Samuel Beckett are now scheduled to take place in the UK at the end of this month. All going well with the Sea Trials the ship will be handed over to the Department of Defence and should arrive in Ireland by the end of April 2014. Details of the commissioning of LE Samuel Beckett into operational service will be finalised when the ship arrives in Ireland following handover.