A review of the future of the Naval service is due to be carried out by the Government by the end of the year. But the Flag Officer commanding the Naval Service has said he does not favour splitting the Navy's current roles of anti-drugs work and military and fisheries protection among different agencies. Commodore John Kavanagh was speaking during exercises involving the Naval Service fleet off the south coast today.
More than 40 submissions have been made for inclusion in a white paper on defence due to be published by the Government later this year. It is expected that a fundamental review of the role of the Defence Forces will be undertaken, including the role played by the Navy. Its principal responsibility is for fisheries protection inside the Irish 200-mile economic zone. But it is also involved in drug interdiction, search and rescue and pollution control operations.
The Department of Defence says the Navy will continue to perform these roles, and in recent weeks Defence Minister Michael Smith has insisted he's not planning to scrap the Naval Service. The Navy is now planning its own offensive. Commodore Kavanagh says he is against any diminution of the Navy's powers. The Government's White Paper is due to be published in December.
