Naval undermanning so bad that our ships are stuck in port, senator claims
IRISH naval ships are now so undermanned the Navy sometimes cannot set sail, independent senator and former soldier Gerard Craughwell has claimed.
He added that even when they could launch, the inexperienced crews were a source of danger.
The Irish Navy has eight ships, one of which is permanently detailed in the Mediterranean. A ninth ship has been commissioned.
The senator has claimed that last Tuesday the entire fleet was left in the HQ at Cobh, Co. Cork. Responding to queries, a Department of Defence source said: ‘For security and operational reasons, details relating to the tasking of Naval Service vessels cannot be released.’
The source added: ‘The Naval Service continues to carry out their Maritime Security and Defence operational responsibilities’’.
The Army Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, visited the Cobh HQ on Friday. An Army source said: ‘Mellett wasn’t down there for the scenery or to hand out medals. The top brass are not happy.’
Mr Craughwell claimed that the under-manning in the Navy, which is also endemic across the armed services, meant the Defence Forces Naval Service was unable to fulfil its national and international role.
Mr Craughwell claimed that ships were going out to sea to create the illusion of a naval presence but simply anchored off the coast and that soldiers were being drafted in to make up the numbers.
The senator said: ‘This has led to health and safety issues such as one recently where one of our ships lost the barrel of one of its heavy machine guns and during that accident two members of the naval service sustained burns.’
Speaking in the Seanad recently, the senator asked who, ‘if the entire fleet has been tied up, is carrying out fisheries patrols and dealing with drug trafficking and smuggling?’
‘I am told that senior noncommissioned officers, NCOs, are being asked to board ships and act as able seamen in order that ships can sail.’