Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if a new contract for the replacement of both the LÉ Róisín and LÉ Niamh naval ships will be put out to tender before end of year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52792/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The service life of an Irish Naval Service ship is determined by the level of operational activity. It is normal practice in a ship’s life to carry out a Mid-Life Extension Programme so as to extend the useful life of a ship to thirty or more years. This programme has recently been completed in respect of the P50 class vessels in service, LÉ Róisín and LÉ Niamh.

This Mid Life Extension Programme will see their service life extended to at least 2029 (LÉ Róisín) and 2031 (LÉ Niamh), based on a life extension to thirty years, and there are no plans to publish a tender for their replacement this year.