Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Following a Government Decision on 12 May 2015, the Irish Naval Vessel, L.É. Eithne, was deployed to the Mediterranean on 16 May, 2015, to assist the Italian Authorities with the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. During her deployment from mid-May to mid-July 2015, L.É. Eithne rescued a total of 3,377 migrants from the waters between Libya and Sicily.

L.É. Niamh replaced L.É. Eithne on the humanitarian search and rescue operation, and on 18 July, commenced rescue operations in the Mediterranean. To date, L.É. Niamh has been involved in the rescue of 4,020 migrants. Tragically, 39 bodies were also recovered by L.É. Niamh since her deployment.

On 2nd September 2015, the Government noted my decision to extend the period of the deployment of an Irish Naval Vessel to the Mediterranean, assisting the Italian authorities in humanitarian search and rescue operations, for a further period up to end of November 2015. This deployment is subject to ongoing assessment of the crisis and the operational need to continue to provide such assistance. L.É. Samuel Beckett will replace L.É. Niamh in the mission and is scheduled to depart from Naval Services Headquarters on Thursday 24 September 2015.

It is intended that the deployment of the L.É. Samuel Beckett will complete the Naval Services current mission to the Mediterranean. The question of a further deployment at some stage in the future may be considered again in the context of the ongoing situation in the Mediterranean and the overall EU response thereto and the overall demands on the Defence Forces, our overseas commitments and available resources.