Due to Covid-19 outbreaks, the Naval Service has been forced to take two more of its ships off operations, while a third vessel is under scrutiny after a crew member reported symptoms.

The news comes following concerns expressed by Irish fishermen that the Naval Service may not be able to protect them at sea. It comes as a Donegal trawler (yesterday) was boarded by a Scottish fishery protection vessel in the disputed waters of Rockall, signalling what could be the first shots in new 'cod wars' between the British and EU post Brexit.

The Irish Examiner understands LÉ Ciara and LÉ William Butler Yeats have been called ashore after Covid-19 cases were reported onboard them.

A suspect case has also been reported on LÉ James Joyce, which could lead to that vessel being tied up like the others.

Sources within the Naval Service said they have “contingency plans in place” to get the vessels back out to sea, but others maintain “the rapidly weakening thin blue line”  — a reference to the exodus of highly trained personnel for better pay and conditions in the private sector — “means it will be increasingly difficult to protect Irish-controlled waters".

The newspaper has more details here.

A tie-up of two ships in port indefinitely is planned by the Naval Service due to a deepening manpower crisis. Of the three services in the Defence Forces, the naval service is suffering the most from a haemorrhage of personnel for better paid jobs in the public sector.

The Irish Examiner has learned that the nine-ship fleet will be reduced to seven as the navy’s flagship, LÉ Eithne, and coastal patrol vessel LÉ Orla will be taken off operational duty for the foreseeable future. Despite her age, LÉ Ciara, which was purchased from the British in 1988, is to remain on patrol.

Ideally, the navy’s newer P60s — LÉ Róisín, LÉ Niamh, LÉ Samuel Beckett, LÉ James Joyce, and LÉ William Butler Yeats — should each have a crew of 50, but are normally operational with 45. Sources in the naval service have indicated the manpower crisis had often led in recent times to them sailing with crew numbers as low as 34.

Both the LÉ Eithne and LÉ Ciara were due for major refits, but according to a source will receive “minor maintenance to achieve a certain readiness level” in the event they need to be redeployed during a major emergency.

In a statement, the Defence Forces press office said Flag Officer Commanding the naval service, Commodore Michael Malone, was “currently managing the consolidation of naval service assets”. This was “due to ongoing personnel challenges and to Óglaigh na hÉireann’s commitment to valuing its personnel, their welfare and safety”.

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