I will take this question on behalf of the Minister. I reassure the Deputy that the regeneration of the Naval Service is one of the key priorities for the Minister and the Department. To that end, the Minister has had detailed discussions with the Chief of Staff on the need for a regeneration report on the Naval Service. The Defence Forces are working to have this report completed in the coming weeks. In relation to recent events the Deputy mentioned, I can confirm that during Storm Chandra, the LÉ Aoibhinn suffered some damage while berthed at Dún Laoghaire harbour as a result of extreme winds. The damage is relatively minor in nature and, following an inspection, the ship was fit to return to duty. The LÉ Aoibhinn is due to return to Haulbowline to enter the dry dock for scheduled maintenance next week, where the necessary repairs to the ship will be made. I am advised that no days were lost as a result of this weather-related incident. The LÉ Gobnait is scheduled to enter service in the third quarter of this year. I readily acknowledge that it would have been preferable to have this vessel in service much sooner. While we are all aware of the challenges the Naval Service has faced in recent years, the indications are that we are turning the dial in relation to the service as a result of increased recruitment and significant investment in capability and physical infrastructure. As a result of these initiatives, the number of patrol days completed by the Naval Service in 2025 reached 580, which is a 35% increase on 2024. The naval authorities remain satisfied that the berth at Carlisle Pier is suitable for current needs. The Deputy might wish to note that the Department is at an advanced stage of concluding the licensing arrangements with the county council in relation to the use of Carlisle Pier for the purposes of berthing the two inshore patrol vessels whose primary function will be to patrol the east coast. In relation to the location of any future permanent forward operating base on the east coast, this has not yet been determined. Any consideration of the matter will be dependent on the recommendations emanating from the regeneration report.
Sentiment score: 0.04
The Deputy asked specifically about the LÉ Gobnait. That ship is scheduled to enter service in the third quarter of this year. We acknowledge that it would have been preferable to have it in service much sooner. It is the case, however, that the readiness and capability of and the activities carried out by the Naval Service have increased substantially over the past year. Work in that regard is going to continue. The Government has acknowledged that we have come from a low base of capabilities and that some capabilities were allowed to fall into abeyance over a period. That is why the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces was very important in terms of setting forth a plan for how we get from not having sufficient protection for our State and not having sufficient resources for our Defence Forces, to having what we need. We are working through that, and the implementation phase is ongoing.
Sentiment score: 0.08
Thankfully, there was no more serious damage. The damage was minor in nature. The Naval Service remains satisfied that Carlisle Pier meets its needs. It has pointed out that the berth has recently been refitted with a modern fendering system, which should add to our ships' ability to withstand damaging impacts. In relation to the potential use of Carlisle Pier as the new forward operating base, the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces calls for the development of an east coast base for the Naval Service. Officials are in discussions with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to secure berthing space in Dún Laoghaire Harbour. This is viewed as an interim arrangement pending the selection and development of a permanent forward operating base. A detailed business case would be required from the Defence Forces regarding a longer term Naval Service presence on the east coast. I anticipate that the awaited regeneration report will help in working this up in the coming months. Any decision on the location of a forward operating base would ultimately be a matter for the Government to make.
Sentiment score: 0.01
I will answer this one on behalf of the Minister. As the Minister has already set out, the defence (amendment) Bill is included in the Government legislative programme for priority publication. There are also some other amendments to the Defence Acts in the legislation. What the triple lock legislation or the defence (amendment) Bill will do is remove the requirement for the UN Security Council mandate because, quite frankly, it is almost impossible to get one and we do not know what the UN Security Council will say in terms of renewing peacekeeping mandates. Effectively, by keeping this in place, we allow members of the Security Council a veto. There are five permanent members, and each of them has a veto. That is Russia, China, France, the UK and the USA. They can veto or use the threat of a veto. In fact, as the Minister said, we have seen UNIFIL end because of, essentially, one member of the Security Council. It is not possible either to go to the General Assembly. What is being suggested regarding the General Assembly cannot happen because it does not have responsibility for international peace and security. In any event, what Deputy Crowe is asking for is not just to give a veto to five members of the Security Council but to canvass every country on earth, including Israel and other countries, on whether Ireland can send peacekeeping troops into areas where they are required. This is something that really is untenable. We are a neutral country. We send peacekeepers. We will send them in accordance with UN law, human rights law and the honourable tradition that we have, but we will not continue in a situation where individual countries can veto our decisions of the Dáil. I should say as well that there is no suggestion that this removes our neutrality in any way whatsoever. Nothing changes the protocol to the Lisbon treaty. There is nothing in the legislation that can or will affect the protocols of the Lisbon treaty on neutrality.
Sentiment score: 0.19
We want to make sure our Defence Forces can, first of all, engage in their primary function, which is the protection of the security of the State and, when called upon, to go abroad to serve as peacekeepers, as they have honourably done. Removing the triple lock will not change this in any way. There are many neutral countries and I do not think any of them have as restrictive a law as we do. I agree with Deputy Duncan Smith who said we must protect our neutrality. I was in Switzerland last week when the subject of neutrality was very strong on the agenda. They speak about an armed neutrality. Deputy Gibney spoke about non-militarism or antimilitarism with regard to Trinity College students. We have to protect our neutrality and build up our Defence Forces. We have to make the decisions here as to what we do in terms of peace and security and the work our people do. I am very confident that we can do this. It does not affect neutrality. What was agreed in the Nice and Lisbon treaties in terms of neutrality has not changed and is not changing. In fact, it cannot be changed without a referendum of the people. That does not affect this in any way whatsoever.
Sentiment score: 0.31
The reason we have a constitutional amendment is if we want to change the Constitution. We are not changing the Constitution, it is simply changing legislation. What was agreed at Lisbon is still in the Constitution by virtue of the protocol to the Lisbon treaty. This does not affect it in any way. I am quite sure that whatever referendum the Government would put forward on Europe or defence, Sinn Féin would oppose it as it has opposed every one of them over the years, but what was agreed by the people in the Lisbon treaty is still there. It is still in the Lisbon treaty and, therefore, it is still in our Constitution. This is a change in legislation and a change in procedures as to how we decide and make our own decisions to send troops abroad. It is not a change in our neutrality policy and it does not affect anything. There are many paragraphs in Article 3 of the protocol to the Lisbon treaty that discuss our neutrality policy and describe it, and this does not impact on it in any way.
Sentiment score: 0.14