Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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583. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to update Dáil Éireann on the continued role of Irish Navy personnel, in assisting with the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean; how long this mission will continue; the level of engagement he has had with European Union partners on this vital humanitarian mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17292/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, 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. During 2015 two further vessels were deployed, L.É. Niamh and L.É. Samuel Beckett, and the deployment was completed on 29 November 2015, with L.É. Samuel Beckett arriving back in Ireland on 17 December 2015. During that period 8,592 people were rescued in the Mediterranean by Irish Naval Vessels.

The Government, on 6 April 2016, approved the return of an Irish Naval vessel to undertake humanitarian search and rescue tasks in the Mediterranean. This deployment will involve naval vessel rotation. Subject to the operational demands and requirements of the mission, it is intended that there will be two rotations (i.e. 3 Naval Service vessels deployed) with each deployment lasting approximately 12 weeks.

L.É Róisín was deployed to the Mediterranean on 1 May 2016 and commenced patrolling in the area of operations on 12 May 2016. To date, L.É. Róisín has rescued 893 people bringing the overall total rescued by the Naval Service during 2015 and 2016 to 9,485.

The role of the Irish Naval vessel is to provide a search and rescue capability and to undertake humanitarian search and rescue operations at sea in the Mediterranean. Assistance to persons in distress at sea will be provided in accordance with the applicable provisions of international conventions governing search and rescue situations. Co-ordination of search and rescue efforts and the provision of humanitarian assistance is being achieved through close co-operation with the relevant Italian authorities.

The despatch of Irish naval vessels represents a tangible and valuable Irish national contribution to assisting with the continuing migration crisis in the Mediterranean.

At EU level, the EU naval operation against human smugglers and traffickers in the Mediterranean, Operation Sophia, was launched at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 22 June 2015. Its mission is to identify, capture and dispose of vessels and enabling assets used or suspected of being used by migrant smugglers or traffickers. The objectives are not only to disrupt the activities of smugglers and traffickers; but also to prevent further loss of life at sea and to reduce the suffering and exploitation of migrants caused by criminal organisations.

While Ireland is fully supportive of the EU approach to this crisis, there are no plans to deploy naval personnel or vessels to the EU Mission at this time. Any consideration of future participation by the Irish Defence Forces in Operation Sophia will be subject to the applicable National statutory requirements being met.