- John Kierans
THE crisis-hit Irish Navy is cancelling two sea patrols a week.
The embarrassing figures were revealed by the Defence Minister Micheal Martin to the Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy in response to a written Dail question.
From a fleet of nine ships a few years ago, it now only has three vessels which are seaworthy, coupled with serious staff shortages, are leaving Ireland struggling in its naval defences.
The Fianna Fail leader said the Navy has recently adopted a three ship operational posture with two ships operational and another on stand by.
Minister Martin explained: “The decision to reduce the number of operational ships was made as a result of the previously acknowledged recruitment and retention difficulties in the Naval Service, in particular for specialist positions.
“The strategic decision has been taken in order to streamline operations, bolster existing capabilities and ensure optimal resource allocation in the Naval Service.”
Some 86 operations have been cancelled so far this year, up from 49 days at sea in 2022.
Mr Martin blamed a number of factors including adverse weather conditions and unscheduled maintenance, as well as staffing issues.
However he said the Navy is still carrying out fishery protection and maritime surveillance operations in Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) 200 miles around our coast.
He added: “The Naval Operations Command Centre at Haulbowline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by qualified Navy personnel who carry out monitoring and surveillance of all vessels equipped with a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) that are operating in and adjacent to the Irish EEZ.”
It is understood the Navy is also working with other states to protect the fibre-optic communications and internet underwater sea cables off the west coast.
This is now one of Ireland’s main security priorities.
Meanwhile, the LE Eithne - the former flagship of the Naval Service which was a helicopter patrol vessel (HPV) - along with two coastal patrol vessels, are to be sent abroad and broken up for recycled scrap.
The move comes after plans to convert the HPV into a museum came to nothing.
The 1,920 displacement tonnes ship was the Navy’s largest vessel and the last to be constructed in Ireland at the Verolme Cork Dockyard.