The Naval Service, however, in recent years has seen its capacity to operate reduced markedly, largely due to personnel shortages, especially in key technical grades. The Naval Service, for example, had limited sonar capabilities to detect activity beneath the seas. In today’s world, the role of the Naval Service is evolving quickly, while the Government is seeking to resolve the recruitment and retention crisis. “If one of those tankers that are not seaworthy should have an accident, the implications more broadly for our seas is absolutely colossal.”But the capacity of the Naval Service is limited. The Minister, on the other hand, is likely to maintain that a separate regeneration plan for the Naval Service, which is due shortly, “will set out a pathway for its future direction”.

Source: The Irish Times February 23, 2026 15:02 UTC