Sir, - Your editorial (July 24th) and Lorna Siggins's report (July 20th) on the "tuna war" sought to create the impression that there is tension between Ministers Smith and Fahey and between the Department of Defence and the Department of Marine and Natural Resources in this matter. This is, quite simply, not the position.
Both Ministers were fully in accord as to attendance at last Thursday's meeting. Both are also committed to the enforcement of EU Fisheries regulations, fairly and impartially. The Naval Service will continue to carry out its enforcement task in an even-handed manner.
The Government has mapped out a bright future for the Naval Service in the White Paper on Defence. The Service will be developed around the provision of a modern eight-vessel flotilla. An implementation plan to give effect to important organisational, effectiveness and efficiency improvements in the Naval Service is in the process of finalisation. This plan will, inter alia, set out new approaches to ensure that Naval Service vessels can maximise the number of days spent on patrol.
In this context, the repetition of the simplistic comparison of fisheries protection resources with a single garda patrol car is particularly disappointing. As has previously been pointed out, a single Naval Service vessel costs more than the entire fleet of garda patrol cars. Ireland has a fleet of eight naval vessels for a population of 3.7 million whereas Italy has a fleet of 49 naval vessels for a population of 57 million. It might therefore be argued that the Italian Navy affords its population only half the level of protection per head as the Naval Service does - the equivalent of half a garda car. Both comparisons are clearly puerile. The originator of this ridiculous, well-worn sound-bite has much to be apologetic about, as do those who, unthinkingly repeat it at every opportunity. - Yours, etc.,
Jack McConnell, Press Office, Department of Defence, Infirmary Road, Dublin 7.