asked the Minister for Defence if an officer of the Naval Service has been sent on a principal war officers' course at the British naval college in Portsmouth, England; the reason the officer has been sent on this course; the length of the course; the skills covered in the course; the cost of the course; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

(Limerick West): In accordance with the programme of training officers for higher command a Naval Service officer has been sent on a principal warfare officers' course at HMS Dryad, Portsmouth.

Attendance at this course is considered essential in order that the Naval Service can fulfil their primary role in support of the Defence Forces and their secondary roles in fishery protection, search and rescue and in aid to the civil power situations. The course is of 25 weeks' duration and the total cost, including tuition, use of equipment, travelling, accommodation etc., will amount to £44,000 approximately.

The aim of the course is to train an officer in the tactical handling of a naval ship and the co-ordinated use of sensors and weapons. It will enable the officer to maximise the use of the equipment available within the Naval Service, particularly in the areas of surveillance, air-related operations and fire control and gunnery. On its completion he will be based at the Naval School and on LE Eithne where he will act as an instructor to train other naval officers in this area.

Is this the first occasion that such a course has been undertaken by members of the Naval Service? Have we not within our own naval and military personnel the capacity to give this kind of training, considering the far more limited role one would hope or expect of our Naval Service as a neutral defence force involved primarily in fishery protection? Would the Minister comment on some reports that the course involves also training in the use of guided missiles including nuclear weapons? Is that a fact?

(Limerick West): The answer to the first part of the Deputy's is “no”, to the second part “yes” and to the third part “no”.

Can I take up the middle part so?

(Limerick West): Yes.

If I understand the answer is "yes", is the Minister agreeing that we have within our own services the capacity for this type of training? I understood that was the middle part of my question. Maybe we are out of joint.

(Limerick West): The first part of the Deputy's question was whether officers had attended a similar type course previously. The answer is “no”.

My question then was whether we had the capacity within our own services, or what expertise or finer tuning any member of our Naval Service can get abroad that could not be obtained within our own structures.

(Limerick West): No. This is a particular type of course and it was not available within our own structures. We had not the capacity to conduct this course within the Naval Service.

There is a suspicion abroad——

Sorry, I am calling Deputy Pat Cooney.

Would the Minister agree that, since the foundation of the State, officers of the Defence Forces under various arms and of varying degrees of seniority have been attending courses of this type in various military academies throughout the world?

(Limerick West): Yes.