2026-02-17

142. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Defence if she will report on the damage sustained by LÉ Aoibhinn as a result of Storm Chandra and all necessary repairs that will need to be carried out; the operational status of LÉ Gobnait and her readiness to go to sea should the damage to LÉ Aoibhinn have been more severe; the status of the proposed forward operating base, FOB, on the east coast and the current suitability of Carlisle Pier in light of the damage sustained at the berth there; the criteria by which Dún Laoghaire harbour was selected to berth LÉ Aoibhinn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12540/26]

Storm Chandra seems like a lifetime away now. It was quite a severe storm, however, as the many flooded homes in my constituency and across the State show. Storms like this are becoming increasingly common because of climate change. We must take on board the lessons that come from these events rather than just striking them off as bad luck. Even ships at berth were not safe. Can the Minister provide an update on the damage to the LÉ Aoibhinn, the repairs needed and if she is still ready to sail?

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.

I have a couple of questions. If the Minister of State cannot answer them today, I would appreciate if he could come back to us. Why has it taken so long to get from the date of delivery of the LÉ Gobnait to the point where she is ready for service? We all know that these ships were a considerable investment, but one has hardly seen any use at all. Is it possible for LÉ Gobnait to put to sea for a patrol? What would it take for both Lake-class vessels to sail into the Irish Sea? Can we conduct simultaneous operations with a Samuel Beckett-class ship in the Atlantic and a Lake-class ship in the Irish Sea? This situation also raises questions about our overall state of readiness. If we do not have the capacity to crew two ships, then we really only have one ship at a time at a time when we are being told that the Defence Forces are under-capacity in the context of dealing with evolving threats in Europe. The Government has been woefully negligent as regards our security. The waters between Ireland and Britain are of significant strategic importance, not least due to the data cables and energy connector that run between the two islands. Are these vessels fit for service? Is there a possibility that we will see these Samuel Beckett-class ships sailing in the Atlantic?

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.

I am still at a loss regarding the damage to the LÉ Gobnait. The Minister of State might come back to us again on that matter. The damage to the LÉ Aoibhinn raises questions as to whether Carlisle Pier in Dún Laoghaire is adequate or appropriate for naval use. As the saying goes, "Any port in a storm", but that did not prevent a ship from being damaged and potentially taken out of service. Maybe that could be looked at. It may not be enough to simply take over a pier and stick up a sign saying, "Irish Navy: No Access After This Point". What precisely constitutes the forward operating base on the east coast? When will that be achieved? Why was Dún Laoghaire chosen for this purpose? Would it be possible to conduct significant repairs on damaged vessels there? For instance, if the LÉ Aoibhinn had lost some of its structural integrity, say if there was damage to the hull or something like that, could repairs be carried out without having to tow her to Cork? If we are to conduct operations on the east coast and the west coast, we need capacity to support these operations locally. Is Dún Laoghaire suitable in this regard? Had more serious damage been done, could repairs have been carried out there?

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.