John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will consider awarding a patrol service medal to members of the Naval Service for extended periods of service at sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3894/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The main day to day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. The Naval Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary. The role the Naval Service plays in Ireland’s maritime domain is of central importance.

There are currently two medals that mark the service of personnel with either the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) or the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The medal known as An Bonn Seirbhíse (The Service Medal) may be awarded to an officer, non-commissioned officer or private of the Defence Forces, or a member of the Army Nursing or Chaplaincy Service who possess the qualifying criteria for the award, as outlined in Defence Force Regulation A.9. Members or former members of the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve qualify for an Bonn Seirbhíse (Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca) (The Service Medal (Reserve Defence Force)) after 7 years service.

The award of either of these medals to qualifying personnel reflects the service given by those personnel to either the PDF or the RDF as the case may be, and by extension the wider public, during the periods for which they served. Whilst acknowledging the significant role of all Defence Forces personnel to the security of the State, I am satisfied that these medals meet the need of marking service of personnel with either the PDF or RDF as the case may be, and I have no plans to introduce additional medals in this regard.

Additional mission specific medals, such as An Bonn Seirbhíse Idirnáisiúnta Oibríochta Óglaigh na hÉireann (The Defence Forces International Operational Service Medal) have been issued to personnel who have served on the humanitarian mission Op PONTUS in the Mediterranean. Subsequent missions to the Mediterranean as part of the EUNAVFOR mission (Op SOPHIA) have received authorised mission medals instead.

More recently, in June 2021, the Naval Service played a key role in tracking and identifying a fishing vessel which was carrying drugs estimated to be worth €220 million. The vessel was intercepted off the Canary Islands after the Naval Service had brought the ship to the attention of Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC (N)) the EU anti-drugs agency. To recognise the work of the Defence Forces, in particular the Naval Service and Air Corps, I was delighted to see that they received the MAOC (N) Medal of Excellence for their role in assisting in the interception of Trans National Organised Crime vessels transporting drugs to Europe.