Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2026
175. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces have the capacity needed to maintain continuous surveillance of vessels operating near critical subsea infrastructure during the EU Presidency period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54034/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Naval Service 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).
In addition to Naval Service patrols, aerial monitoring and surveillance of the Irish EEZ is carried out by the Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron using C295 maritime patrol aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment.
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 remote monitoring and surveillance of the Irish EEZ. This monitoring provides the Naval Service with a recognised maritime picture which assists in determining how each Defence Forces maritime asset should be tasked.
We are again this year seeing a gradual increase in the number of Naval Service and Air Corps patrols at sea. This continues the trend whereby there was a significant increase in maritime patrols from 2024 to 2025.
I am satisfied that the Defence Forces have sufficient capacity to continue to carry out the roles assigned to them by Government.
