Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
113. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Defence to provide an update on the Naval Service’s current fleet complement; the number of ships that are fully crewed and are regularly at sea; the number that are currently undergoing maintenance; her plans to add to current fleet numbers or to replace existing vessels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32979/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Naval Service currently has a fleet of eight commissioned vessels. These eight vessels consist of two P50 class large patrol vessels, four P60 class offshore patrol vessels, and two P70 inshore patrol vessels. I am advised by the Military Authorities that there are four vessels available for operations on a rotation basis. This rotation takes account of maintenance, crew training and rest periods.
The table below details the current status of the eight commissioned Naval Service vessels:
|
Name |
Class |
Current status |
|
LÉ Roisin (P51) |
Large Patrol Vessel |
In Operational Reserve |
|
LÉ Niamh (P52) |
Large Patrol Vessel |
In Operational Reserve |
|
LÉ Samuel Beckett (P 61) |
Offshore Patrol Vessel |
Operational |
|
LÉ James Joyce (P 62) |
Offshore Patrol Vessel |
Operational |
|
LÉ William Butler Yeats (P 63) |
Offshore Patrol Vessel |
Operational |
|
LÉ George Bernard Shaw (P64) |
Offshore Patrol Vessel |
Operational |
|
LÉ Aoibhinn (P 71) |
Inshore Patrol Vessel |
Operational |
|
LÉ Gobnait (P 72) |
Inshore Patrol Vessel |
Undergoing National fitout prior to entering service during 2026. |
The Commission on the Defence Forces specifically recommended a programme of naval vessel replacement under Level of Ambition 2. This recommendation was accepted in principle by Government. As set out in the Update to the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission on the Defence Forces which I published in February, decisions on the shape and timing of the Naval vessel replacement to ensure a balanced fleet by early in the next decade will be made and subsequently progressed from 2026 and beyond.
These decisions will be made in the context of the Capability Development Programme 2028 – 2040 which is under preparation in my Department and which will identify and cost, at a high level, the capability requirements for the Defence Forces out to 2040 across all domains of operation, including the maritime and subsea domain. I have also requested the Defence Forces to prepare a regeneration report for the Naval Service to address the challenges faced in recent years and to plot a path forward for the future direction of the Naval Service.
In finalising these plans, decisions will be made on the composition of the balanced fleet of modern ships and the greater use of technologies. These decisions will also be informed by other relevant information, including the new National Maritime Security Strategy which I published in February this year.
Question No. 114 answered with Question No. 90.
