Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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112. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the measures that are being taken to ensure that the recent Naval Service vessels that were decommissioned are replaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48980/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government, including overseas deployments.

The Department of Defence has received a capital allocation under the national development plan of €566 million over the 2022 to 2025 timeframe. The Defence annual capital budget for 2022 is €141 million, with an increased allocation of €176 million for 2023. This is following Government approval for a move over a six-year period to a level of Defence Forces’ capability equivalent to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on Defence Forces, which will entail funding increases to reach a Defence budget of approximately €1.5 billion (at January 2022 prices) by 2028 through the annual Estimates. This level of capital funding will allow the Defence Organisation to undertake a programme of sustained equipment replacement and infrastructural development across the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as identified and prioritised in the Defence White Paper and the Report of the Commission, while building on the significant investment programme over recent years.

The Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020 was completed following extensive joint civil-military work. It provides a comprehensive list of planned equipment projects which will be progressed over five years. This plan builds on the intentions set out in the White Paper in relation to equipment acquisition, modernisation and upgrade and has been developed to ensure that our Defence Forces have the major equipment platforms, ancillary equipment and force protection equipment to carry out their important roles both at home and overseas. The Equipment Planning process recognises the need to maintain and upgrade military capabilities having regard to emerging operational requirements and changes in technology, the Plan is kept under review and it is an ongoing iterative process.

The Naval Service Vessel Renewal and Replacement Programme is ongoing and it includes radar and other equipment upgrades along with the replacement of Naval Service Reserve motor launches. In this regard, the programme of works for the midlife refit and upgrade of LÉ Róisín has been completed, while works are currently ongoing on LÉ Niamh. Marine Advisors have been appointed to support the procurement of a multi-role vessel to replace the decommissioned flagship, LÉ Eithne, with work underway that will inform a public tender competition in due course. Two Inshore Patrol Vessels have been purchased from the New Zealand Government to replace the decommissioned LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara and it is expected these vessels will be transported to Ireland in 2023 following the completion of a programme of works.

This investment in Naval Service vessels and equipment is an indication of the Government's commitment to ensuring that the Naval Service continues to retain a range of flexible capabilities in order to carryout out the roles assigned.