The LÉ Samuel Beckett dropped anchor in Bantry Bay yesterday to play an integral part in the West Cork Literary Festival.

A request under the Freedom of Information Act has been lodged with the Department of Defence in an attempt to establish why a Naval Service ship was delayed by more than three weeks from leaving her base to save migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.

Naval service ships operating in the Mediterranean Sea could soon be adopting a more robust role in the fight against Islamic terrorists and people-smugglers.

Three test cases are being brought before the High Court in an attempt to force the Government to ensure that people serving in the Defence Forces can carry over all their annual leave entitlements from one year to the next.

The naval service is haemorrhaging enlisted personnel because of poor pay and a recruitment drive to plug the gaps will not work unless wages are significantly improved, it has been claimed.

Service medals will be awarded to Irish Naval Service personnel who served on the historic humanitarian missions in the Mediterranean last year.