Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
118. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence the current capacity of An tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh to ensure the security of the State’s maritime area in the areas of defence, drug enforcement and fisheries protection; and if she is satisfied with the current capacity of the Naval Service to deal with these issues. [33103/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister, I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern, fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future.
An tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. It also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks including maritime surveillance, drug interdiction, search and rescue, and maritime defence and security operations (MDSO). As such any Naval Service patrol should be viewed as a multi-faceted activity.
The Naval Operations Command Centre, located at Naval Base Haulbowline, is staffed twenty four hours a day seven days a week by qualified Naval Service personnel who carry out monitoring and surveillance of all vessels equipped with a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) that are operating in and adjacent to the Irish EEZ. Aerial monitoring and surveillance of the Irish EEZ is carried out by the Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron.
I am satisfied that the Naval Service continues to carry out the roles assigned to it by Government effectively.
