Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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679. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the capacity of each of the Naval Service patrol vessels (details supplied) to board super trawlers to inspect their catch and methods and ensure their compliance with EU directives and quotas. [24205/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 establishes the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) as the competent Authority for securing efficient and effective enforcement of sea fisheries protection legislation and the sustainable exploitation of marine fish resources from the waters around Ireland. To this end, the SFPA has a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Defence to secure efficient enforcement of sea-fisheries law through support provided by the Defence Forces.

I am advised that the Naval Service is empowered to board and inspect all fishing vessel and their cargoes in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and, when necessary, to formally detain vessels and direct them to port for arrest by An Garda Síochána.

The White Paper on Defence (2015) sets out the equipment agenda for the Defence forces including investment priorities for the Naval Service and for the air Corps. This will ensure that they retain the capacity to discharge all the roles assigned, including fishery protection. The recent additions to the Naval Service fleet are the LÉ Samuel Beckett, the LÉ James Joyce, the LÉ William Butler Yeats and a further ship of this class is scheduled for delivery in mid 2018.

The Naval Service and the Air Corps will continue to work closely supporting the SFPA in its work to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by any vessel in Irish waters.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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702. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department or the Naval Service had received a request to donate the decommissioned LÉ Aisling to the Somali fisheries protection authority in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24578/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 680, 681 and 702 together.

Naval vessels have a life expectancy of around 20 – 25 years. The three ships most recently due for replacement with the Naval Service were LÉ Emer, commissioned in 1978, LÉ Aoife, commissioned in 1979 and LÉ Aisling, commissioned in 1980.

Extensive surveys were carried out on these vessels given their age and service, and as the vessels has exceeded their design life an enhanced survey routine was in place prior to their decommissioning to reduce the risk of hull failure due to corrosion and to maximise the availability of the vessels for operational service until their decommissioning.

The current Naval Service ship replacement programme has seen the delivery of three new Naval Service vessels in the past three years to replace the LÉ Emer, LÉ Aisling and LÉ Aoife. LÉ Samuel Beckett was commissioned in May 2014, LÉ James Joyce was commissioned in September 2015 and LÉ William Butler Yeats was commissioned in October 2016.

The value of this three-ship contract with Babcock International was just over €199 million, inclusive of VAT. A contract for an additional sister ship was placed with Babcock International in June 2016 at a cost of €54.3m, bringing investment in the new ships programme to over €250 million since 2010. The fourth ship is scheduled for delivery in mid 2018.

Following her withdrawal from service in 2015, the former LÉ Aoife was transferred for a nominal sum to the ownership of the Maltese Armed Forces on humanitarian grounds following a request from the Maltese authorities, to endeavour to deal with the ongoing refugee crisis in the region. The donation of LÉ Aoife to the Maltese Armed Forces was an exceptional measure given the particular circumstances of the humanitarian requirements of the Maltese maritime patrol region.

Neither my Department nor the Naval Service received any formal request for the donation of the decommissioned LÉ Aisling to the Somali fisheries protection authority.