David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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138. To ask the Minister for Defence the involvement of the Naval Service with the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11620/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Maritime and Energy Research Cluster (IMERC) was created in 2008 as a result of a group of maritime stakeholders examining the possibility of pooling elements of Ireland's maritime industrial research in a single geographical location, adjacent to the National Maritime College of Ireland.

This research and commercial cluster aims to realise Ireland's economic potential in the global, maritime and energy markets and brings together expertise in the fields of energy engineering, maritime operations, maritime technology and ecosystem governance.

As the Naval Service has significant technological end user knowledge, it can bring this valuable knowledge to researchers and foreign direct investment clients and small and medium enterprises. In collaboration with IMERC, the Naval Service is currently involved in a number of research initiatives in the maritime domain including technologies for communications and observation at sea and a range of I.T. developments that would have maritime application.

The Naval Service is represented on IMERC's Executive Board and also on its Operational Working Group.