Sailors will not have to sleep on Naval Service ships anymore when they’re off duty thanks to the opening of a new accommodation block at their headquarters on Haulbowline Island in Cork harbour.
For several years PDForra, which represents enlisted personnel in the Defence Forces, has highlighted the issue.
The association’s president Mark Keane welcomed the opening of the 70-bed accommodation block by Minister for Defence Simon Coveney.
“This was badly needed because it wasn’t right that personnel should have to sleep on ships when off duty. Now there needs to be further investment in more ancillary services on the island for those who are living on it, such as a new gymnasium,” Mr Keane said
More young sailors will need accommodation in the future because they can’t afford rents in the areas around the base which are rent pressure zones."
Mr Coveney announced other buildings on the base will be refurbished to provide offices and additional live-in accommodation which will be needed in the future.
The newly opened accommodation is at Block 8, a Victorian era building which was refurbished at a cost of €4.2m.
Built in 1822, it is rated on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) as a building of regional importance.
Mr Coveney said there are seven further projects in the pipeline to improve the naval base.
He said these will be progressed in the coming years at an estimated cost of €76m.
The projects include the refurbishment of the adjoining Block 9, which is also a listed building. It will be turned into offices, while Block 4 will be transformed into more living in accommodation for up to 60 sailors.
“These projects are already well into their design stage,” Mr Coveney said.
Meanwhile, he also opened the newly upgraded Spencer Jetty at the navy base.
The jetty has been stabilised at a cost of €3m and it's part of a plan to increase berthing capacity there for three ships.
Mr Coveney said this project protects the sea entrance to the Naval Service dockyard and basin.
“I particularly want to thank the personnel in the Directorate of Engineering and within the Department of Defence for their hard work on both of these projects. I’d like to congratulate O’Shea’s Builders Ltd on the fantastic work they’ve done on Block 8, and Cunningham/Quinn, for completing the complex Spencer Jetty project to an extremely high standard,” Mr Coveney said.