Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Following Government and Dáil approval, the L.É. William Butler Yeats will commence operations with the Operation Irini mission in the Mediterranean tomorrow (21 June 2023).

The core task of the mission is to contribute to the prevention of arms trafficking within its agreed Area of Operation, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2292 (2016) and subsequent Resolutions on the arms embargo on Libya.

While capacity building and training of the Libyan Coastguard is part of Operation Irini’s mandate, the Naval Service personnel will not engage in this activity when participating in the mission. Indeed, Ireland has formally declared caveats to this effect with the Operational Headquarters in Rome.

In any event, the capacity building and training of the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy element of the mandate is not currently in operation and as such is suspended.

As regards the issue of Safety of Life at Sea/ Search and Rescue (SOLAS/SAR), the motion approved by the Dáil includes an amendment to the effect that the naval vessel participating in Operation Irini will be subject to the obligation under international law to provide assistance to persons in distress at sea.

This reiterates the pre-existing obligation on Ireland under the United Nations Convention on the Law Of the Sea, an obligation to which the Naval Service would have to give effect whether in the context of Operation Irini or otherwise.

In the event that any Operation Irini ship is involved in SOLAS/SAR, the mission direction is that those migrants rescued by the ship should be taken to and disembarked to a European Coastguard ship as soon as possible so that the Operation Irini ship can return to its mandated operations with the minimum of delay.

While Operation Irini has no specific mandate for Safety of life at Sea/ Search and Rescue (SOLAS/SAR), the involvement in a SAR/SOLAS event while operating as part of Operation Irini cannot be totally ruled out.

However, should the naval vessel be required at any point during its deployment to respond to a Safety of life at Sea or Search and Rescue event, they will do so in accordance with the mission direction and such rescue operation would be conducted in line with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The recent strategic review of the mission indicated that in 2022, 91,985 migrants arrived via the Central Mediterranean Route into Europe in 2022. Of this figure, an estimated 163 (0.17 per cent) were rescued by Operation IRINI.

I am confident that the crew of L.É. William Butler Yeats will maintain the tradition of those who have gone before them and make a worthwhile contribution to EU naval operations in the Mediterranean.