All four Naval Service Reserve (NSR) motor launches have been decommissioned due to their age, while the strength of the back-up force has significantly decreased and is desperately short of young people.

After several years lobbying, the Department of Defence has finally agreed to scrap an eyesight test anomaly which has been blamed for depleted recruitment in the Naval Service Reserve (NSR).

After years of having insufficient organisational strength, a major push is on to bolster the ranks of the naval service’s reserves — the only section of the Defence Forces which will see a significant increase in numbers in coming years.

For the first time the Naval Service has promoted women to the rank of petty officer, a position acknowledged as the backbone of the service.

It cost in excess of €3m to run the Reserve Defence Force last year, at a time when four more barracks are being closed to save €5m.

EVEN though Roberta O’Brien grew up almost 100 kilometres from the nearest coastline, it hasn’t stopped the Tipperary native from making history with the Irish Naval Service.