LÉ George Bernard Shaw, the sole operational ship of the Naval Service, was unavailable to take part in a large drug search off the Cork coast this weekend as it formed part of St. Patrick’s Day festivities held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Last week, when Gardaí investigating a suspected attempt to land a large consignment of cocaine near Skibbereen in west Cork, made a formal request to the Naval Service for the use of the P60 class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) to assist in the search.

The request took place while the LÉ George Bernard Shaw was bound to Dún Laoghaire Harbour to take part in the St. Patrick’s festival. This involved the 90m vessel berth at the port town’s Carlisle Pier, featuring new fendering that is also to cater for commercial ships.

The Navy’s newest patrol ship, built in 2016, remained in the south Dublin Bay town over the weekend, where the public was offered tours. On St. Patrick’s Day, 25 of the ship’s 44 crew members took part in the town’s parade along the coast road.

With the patrol vessel and crew in port, this meant there was no naval ship available to assist in searching the thousands of square kilometres off the Cork coastline where the drugs may be located.

Much more The Irish Times has to report on the crew crisis challenging the navy, which has among its duties drug interdiction.