Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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70. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason that a vessel (details supplied) is docked in Cork Harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34697/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Permission was requested earlier this month for the Royal Navy survey ship, HMS Enterprise, to pay a routine visit to Cork from 12 to 18 June for the purpose of crew rest and to conduct a joint communication training exercise with the Irish Naval Service.

This permission was granted on the condition that the vessel not engage in any military exercises or naval manoeuvres or carry nuclear weapons. These are the standard stipulations for any naval vessel to visit an Irish port.

Port visits by foreign naval vessels are a normal outworking of our desire for friendly relations with our neighbours as well as providing opportunities for the Irish Naval Service to be equipped to communicate with other navies where necessary.

The Irish Naval Service regularly visits foreign ports in the same manner.