Naval service's plan to purchase €200m vessels paused as manpower crisis worsens
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The planned purchase of a €200m Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) for the Naval Service appears to have been put on the back-burner as its number of sailors is set to drop below 900 amid further resignations, including its second most senior officer.
The Department of Defence has declined to comment on a request for information on the status of the MRV project.
The understands that the tender process for appointing consultants to get a best value for money/design for the proposed new MRV has been postponed.
A tender was supposed to have been placed in or around the new year and the successful applicant was tasked to finalise a report by June. This has not happened as planned.
In response to queries on the postponement a Department of Defence spokeswoman replied: “The Department has no comment.”
Meanwhile, the number of personnel within the Naval Service is due to fall below the 900 mark any day now, as several more have sought to be discharged before the compulsory age of retirement.
They include the Naval Service's second-in-command Captain Brian Fitzgerald, which has come as a shock to several service personnel, as he was seen as a very capable, career-driven officer.
Increasing pressure is coming on resources not just overall in the Naval Service, but particularly in highly-skilled jobs such as engine room artificers (fitters), marine engineers and communications experts. Many are opting for better-paid jobs in the private sector.
Last December, the exclusively revealed that Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, and military chiefs were planning to acquire two smaller vessels for fishery patrols in the Irish Sea; a move necessitated by Brexit.
Two ships belonging to a foreign navy have been identified as being suitable for the task.
They are much smaller than some of the newer Naval Service ships, which are 90m long, and can thus be crewed with fewer personnel.
There isn't the requirement for bigger ships to patrol the Irish Sea as the weather there is not as turbulent as the Atlantic.
The 90m ships need a crew of 45, whereas these vessels can be crewed by anything between 20 and 25 personnel.
Manpower shortages mean this is just about achievable, but unless personnel numbers increase significantly it would be almost impossible to crew an MRV as well, unless some other ships are tied up.
It was expected the MRV would replace the Naval Service's aging flagship LÉ Eithne, which is currently tied up along with inshore patrol vessel LÉ Orla. Both were taken off operations in June 2019 due to crew shortages.
They still have 'skeleton crews' onboard maintaining them in case they need to be called back in an emergency.
It seems more probable now that some of these personnel will be transferred for duty onboard the two vessels which are being sought for the Irish Sea fishery patrols, which are likely to be stationed on the eastern coast, rather than at Haulbowline.
Capt Fitzgerald has sought to be discharged from the Naval Service, which will be seen as a significant loss as he is second-in-charge of the force, holding the title of Officer Commanding Naval Operations, meaning he has responsibility for all operational matters.
Originally from Limerick, he joined the Naval Service in 1982, but is leaving before compulsory retirement age.