Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 9 September 2024
171. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when it is expected that the Naval Service will be at its full complement of personnel and vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35949/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe strength of the Naval Service, as at 31 July 2024, stood at 728 personnel.
As the Deputy is aware, as one of the recommendations from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, Government approved a move, over a six-year period, to a level of Permanent Defence Force capability equivalent to Level of Ambition 2. This will require an additional 2,000 personnel by 2028, including a civilian component, beyond the 9,500 establishment figure that was in place at the time of the Commission’s report.
While induction numbers fluctuate from year to year, Budget 2024 allocated €1.23 billion for the Defence Sector, which included a provision for the recruitment and training of a net additional 400 personnel in 2024. I have fully acknowledged the current staffing challenges in the Defence Forces, which are most acute in the Naval Service, and work is ongoing to counter these. A range of recruitment measures, along with financial and non-financial retention incentives which include significant progress on pay and allowances, have been implemented to address such challenges
The Naval Service currently has a fleet of eight Commissioned vessels. Five of the vessels are available for operations including the four P60 class vessels which conduct patrols on a rotation basis. In addition to the four P60 class vessels, the L.É. Aoibhinn achieved Initial Operational Capability in July 2024 and has been undertaking patrols in the Irish Sea ever since. The L.É. Aoibhinn will reach Full Operational Capability before year end 2024.
The Naval Service has adopted its current operational posture in order to streamline operations, bolster existing capabilities, and ensure optimal resource allocation in the Naval Service. This consolidation of the Naval Service fleet is in response to the declining numbers of staff in the Naval Service, particularly in technical appointments. Any decision to deploy additional vessels to sea will be dependent on the availability of suitably qualified and experienced personnel to crew the vessel.
The following is the composition of the fleet:
|
Vessel |
Status |
|
L.É. Roisin (P51) |
Operational Reserve |
|
L.É. Niamh (P52) |
Mid-Life Extension Programme |
|
L.É. Samuel Beckett (P61) |
Operational |
|
L.É. James Joyce (P62) |
Operational |
|
L.É. William Butler Yeats (P63) |
Operational |
|
L.É. George Bernard Shaw (P64) |
Operational |
|
L.É. Aoibhinn (P71) |
In Initial Operational Capability, expected to be fully operational before the end of 2024 |
|
L.É. Gobnait (P72) |
Fit out in progress |
