My question relates to the attempt by Government to secure a seat on the UN Security Council. I understand that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, via the Department of Defence, is sending a naval vessel to New York and, perhaps, other cities to engage with UN officials. What is the purpose of this operation? For example, is it to wine and dine officials or will serious business be conducted? The Tánaiste will be aware this is happening against the backdrop of docked naval vessels and difficulties around meeting service level agreements and the considerable costs being incurred by his Department in regard to securing a seat on the UN Security Council, which issue has been raised many times by my colleague, Deputy Niall Collins. In light of the aforementioned difficulties and the current recruitment and retention crisis, will the Tánaiste explain the purpose of the deployment of this naval vessel?

A naval vessel will be crossing the Atlantic and will be in New York next week and will visit other US cities as well. It is important to say that the role of the Naval Service is not solely one of fisheries protection or intercepting drugs and so on. While both operations are an important part of what it does, it has a broader remit, as seen in the Mediterranean Sea and will be seen next week when it will play an ambassadorial role not only in terms of the UN Security Council campaign - it is only one element of what the service is doing - but in reaching out to the Irish diaspora in large cities on the east coast. This is not new. Naval vessels have been sent abroad with a diplomatic role many times in the past. I appeal to people not to try to make this into something that it is not.

We are also trying to recruit people into the Naval Service. People need to see the broad spectrum of roles and responsibilities that Naval Service personnel play, which will be very evident abroad next week.