John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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94. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline the nature of the operation that the Naval Service is involved in off the coast of Libya; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49021/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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EUNAVFOR MED Operation IRINI, the UN mandated EU Naval mission in the eastern Mediterranean, was launched on the 31st of March 2020 with a mandate in place until the 31st of March 2023.

The Operation’s core task is the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets. In particular and in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2292 (2016), the mission is mandated to carry out inspections on the high seas off the coast of Libya of vessels suspected to be carrying arms or related material to and from Libya, in addition to monitoring violations perpetrated via aerial and land routes.

As secondary tasks, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI also:

- monitors and gathers information on illicit exports from Libya of petroleum, crude oil and refined petroleum products;

- contributes to the capacity building and training of the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy;

- contributes to the disruption of the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks through information gathering and patrolling by planes.

As of 1 September 2022, Ireland has three members of the Naval Service deployed to Operation IRINI. These personnel are deployed to the Operational Headquarters (OHQ) in Rome in staff officer posts.