#AoifeDonation - On the margins of an EU Defence Ministers informal meeting in Riga, Latvia, Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D. met Mr. Carmelo Abela, Minister for Home Affairs and National Security of Malta on Wednesday. 

According to the Gozo News, as well as discussing the EU Defence agenda, the Ministers reviewed the continuing cooperation between Malta and the Republic of Ireland on Defence matters.

This included the training of Maltese personnel in Ireland and future potential operations cooperation, building on the successful joint training team Malta and Ireland provided to the EU Training Mission in Somalia. The Minister agreed to explore further prospects for cooperation.

In this context the Ministers agreed to transfer ownership of the LÉ Aoife to the Maltese Armed Forces. The LÉ Aoife (P22) was decommissioned as previously reported on Afloat.ie last month following 35 years of operational service.

While the vessel is no longer viable for use in Irish waters it is ideally suited to address a pressing short-term shortfall in the naval capacity of Malta.

To read more as to the reasons to transfer the former Irish OPV to the Mediterranean, click the report HERE.