Patrol ships of the Naval Service have been decommissioned at the same time, with speculation mounting about what is next for these three vessels.

It is an unprecedented move and questions remain as to whether they will be gifted to foreign governments, sold privately, or even converted into public amenities.

The decommissioning on Friday of (former flagship) LÉ Eithne (built by V.C.D. in Cork Harbour) and the two inshore patrol vessels LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara will free up some of the skeleton crews who have been maintaining them to work on other ships.

Speculation has mounted in the Philippines that its government is looking for LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara (former UK Royal Navy Peacock class). It has some of the same type in its navy, mainly used for patrols around its large number of islands.

A Dutch businessman is also understood to be interested in purchasing some of the vessels.

Irish Examiner has more on this end of an era of the trio of 1984 built patrol vessels.