Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

77. To ask the Minister for Defence the reason the Navy Service turned down a request from An Garda Síochána to assist in a search operation (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason the Naval Service is not automatically involved in every search mission at sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32450/15]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

78. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of fishing patrols undertaken by the Naval Service off the North Mayo coast to date in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32451/15]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

79. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of occasions the Naval Service was deployed in relation to work associated with the Corrib Gas Project from 2005 to date in 2015. [32452/15]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

80. To ask the Minister for Defence the locations the Irish Naval ships were deployed from 12 September 2015 to 18 September 2015; the person or body who makes the decision in relation to deployment; the circumstances that are taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32453/15]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

81. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of divers who are attached to the Irish Naval Service; the protocols they follow when deployed to a dive site, including the time they take to travel to the site; the communications they undertake with emergency services in charge of the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32454/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 to 81, inclusive, together.

It should be noted that the primary responder for search and rescue in the State is the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG). The primary role of the Naval Service Diving Section is to support Naval and other Defence Forces operations. However, the Naval Service makes every effort to deploy to assist in maritime search operations following a request from the IRCG or from An Garda Síochána.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, 15 September last the Naval Service received an Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) request from An Garda Síochána for assistance in the search for the missing person in question. The Naval Service was unable to respond immediately due to the unavailability of divers at the time of the request. However, An Garda Síochána was advised that the Naval Service would keep the matter under review and on the morning of Thursday, 17 September, a diving team was dispatched to the area. The team has supported the search since then until it was stood down yesterday when it was determined in consultation with An Garda Síochána and the Irish Coast Guard and in light of the weather conditions, that divers could no longer provide a meaningful contribution to the search. However, the matter is being kept under review.

The Naval Service has undertaken 118 days on fishery patrols off the North Mayo coast up to 21 September 2015. It undertook 64 operational days associated with the Corrib Gas Field in the 10 years from 2005 to 2015. However, the vast majority of these operations were in the earlier part of this period.

During the period 12 to 18 September 2015 three vessels were deployed while a fourth was deployed from 14 September 2015. The ships were deployed on fishery patrols, Aid to the Civil Power and on an overseas mission. Decisions in relation to the deployment of Naval vessels are made on an ongoing basis by Naval Operations Command, in consultation with Operations and Plans Branch in Defence Forces Headquarters, having regard to, inter alia, the security environment, resource availability, patrol plans, weather conditions and any requirements arising from the various roles assigned to the Defence Forces.

While there are 46 qualified divers in the Naval Service, 10 are dedicated to the Naval Service Diving Section. The remaining 36 divers fill various regular (non-diving) appointments in the Naval Service. These personnel are not available on a dedicated ‘call-out’ basis. It may also be noted, that for a variety of reasons, 11 of the 46 personnel are not currently available to participate in diving operations. These reasons include divers undertaking training courses abroad, those deployed in military roles outside of the Naval Service and persons currently unfit for diving duties. The NSDS can deploy to a dive site on a Naval vessel, or, as was the case in this instance, by road. The time to travel to a dive site is dependent on a number of variables. When deployed in an Aid to the Civil Power capacity, naval divers remain under the operational control of the lead Naval Service officer but maintain close liaison with representatives of An Garda Síochána and the Irish Coast Guard.