#OPVtoMed - Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Coveney through the approval of the Government is to despatch the Naval Service OPV L.É. Róisín to the Mediterranean.

The OPV with a crew of approximately sixty personnel of the Permanent Defence Force are to undertake humanitarian search and rescue tasks in the region, subject to finalisation of operational arrangements.

Following the Government Decision the Minister commented “The humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean continues to be of great concern to Ireland and to our EU partners. I am anxious that we would resume support to Italy in the search and rescue activities in the Mediterranean”.

The Minister went on to say that “Subject to finalisation of operational arrangements, a Naval Vessel will be despatched to the Mediterranean within the next month.”

The proposed deployment will involve naval vessel rotation. Subject to the operational demands and requirements of the mission, it is intended that there will be two rotations (i.e. 3 Naval Service vessels deployed) with each deployment lasting approximately 12 weeks. 

The Minister went on to say “The despatch of an Irish naval vessel represents a tangible and valuable Irish national contribution to assisting with the continuing migration crisis in the Mediterranean.”