asked the Minister for Defence if there are any plans for the creation of a separate organisation for the Naval Service.

The organisation and establishments of the Naval Service are under review in the context of the expanded role of the service in fishery protection duty. It may be taken that the basic position of the service as a component of the permanent defence force will remain.

Having regard to the present organisation of the Naval Service which comprises only 582 officers and men and since the whole question of the general surveillance of the protection of offshore installations such as oil rigs as well as such matters as continental shelf resources, search and rescue, pollution measures and fishery protection are now involved, is it not both necessary and desirable to have a separate organisation on an expanding basis to cater for these operations? Would the Minister ensure that this matter be examined fully?

I do not agree that there should be a separate organisation but, as I informed the Deputy, the organisation and establishments of the Naval Service are under review and if he has any representations or suggestions to make in that connection, I should be glad to receive them and would assure him that they would be considered.

Is the question of organisation and establishments under review with a view to the creation of a separate organisation or is the review merely an internal one dealing with the operation of the Naval Service?

Consideration is not being given to the setting up of a separate organisation but the question of the expanding role of the navy in connection with fishery protection is being reviewed.

One of the secondary roles of the navy is that of fishery protection but would the Minister not agree that some of the references recently to this question would indicate that fishery protection has become the primary role of the navy? Is it the intention that this be the situation for the future?

All the functions of the Naval Service are highly important. There is no one function more important than another. The services rendered by the navy are well-known and distinguished.

I shall allow Deputy Dowling another supplementary.

Regarding the expanded duties that I have enumerated, would the Minister accept that a complement of 582 personnel is not sufficient to cope with this workload? What action is being taken to increase the strength of the navy to a realistic level?

I would remind the Deputy that on the 31st March, 1973, the total personnel—all ranks— of the Naval Service was 402 while on the 28th February, 1977, the number was 582. It might be no harm for the Deputy to add to his statistics the information that this is an increase of 180 since Fianna Fáil left office.

Would the Minister not appreciate——

Order. I have allowed the Deputy some latitude on this question.

——that——

The Deputy must learn to obey the Chair first.

Perhaps I may ask a final supplementary. The Minister retained his statistics until the last moment but would he not agree that along with the increase in personnel there has been an increase in duties? Surely the Minister realises the difference between a 50-mile limit and a three-mile limit? The increase in personnel is not proportionate to the increase in duties.

I have assured the Deputy that the expanded role of the Naval Service is under review.

I am calling question No. 11.

11.