The Naval Service was forced to delay the deployment of one of its ships for three days recently because it could not find the minimum number of sailors required. The Naval Service is currently 168 personnel below the establishment strength of 1,094. It suffered a net loss of 50 members in 2019 – roughly the equivalent of a ship’s crew. Asked about the LÉ Ciara delay, the Defence Forces said it does not comment on changes to operational scheduling or patrol plans. “The final authority as to whether a ship deploys operationally is vested with the ship’s captain and thereafter with the flag officer commanding the Naval Service.

Source: The Irish Times January 30, 2020 03:22 UTC