Solicitor calls for all naval ships to be grounded and checked for asbestos

A solicitor has demanded all Naval Service ships should be immediately grounded and checked for asbestos.

Ernest Cantillon, who has represented dozens of asbestosis victims over the past 30 years, said the potentially lethal substance has been “banned in virtually all developed countries” and should be removed from the vessels.

The Cork-based lawyer is representing 10 people who belive they have been exposed to the substance, through their work on naval ships, and will have an agonising wait, possibly of even up to 40 years, to see if they develop asbestosis.

It is believed upwards of 100 Naval Service personnel and around 50 civilian workers may have been exposed to asbestos dust on a number of the eight-strong fleet or within workshops at the naval service headquarters in Haulbowline, Co Cork.

“It’s an awful disease and an awful death but very debilitating before that,” Mr Cantillon said.

Following a Supreme Court ruling in 2003, he said only people who actually develop asbestosis can sue the State. Mr Cantillon said there was no compensation for those who could suffer psychological injury due to the fear that exposure might lead to their deaths.

The Naval Service had disclosed a specialist company had carried out an asbestos audit on its ships in 2003 and declared they were free of the substance.

However, Mr Cantillon said such a declaration was intriguing, especially in light of the recent discoveries.

Meanwhile, PDFORRA (Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association) general secretary Gerry Rooney said that “definitely a large portion of the fleet is in a critical position”.

He said EU directives were introduced in 2000 restricting the use of asbestos and the Naval Service’s last three acquired vessels should be free of the substance.

They are LÉ Samuel Beckett which has just gone into service; LÉ Roisín, commissioned in 1999; and LÉ Niamh which was delivered in 2001.

However, out of five other vessels still in use and which predate the EU regulation, asbestos was discovered in three of them.

LÉ Ciara and LÉ Orla remain locked down after asbestos was detected a number of weeks ago.

Evidence of the substance has been recorded twice in recent weeks on the LÉ Aoife which has now returned to patrolling duties.

Her sister ship LÉ Aisling has not been checked yet but the LÉ Eithne is confined to port following another asbestos scare. “An initial examination of her drawings indicated an area of potential concern. This area will be examined as a precaution and dealt with in accordance with Health and Safety Authority guidelines if deemed necessary,” a Naval Service spokesman said.

Mr Rooney, meanwhile, said it was imperative the Naval Service immediately train personnel in asbestos recognition and its safe removal, especially in the event of a problem developing on a ship 100 miles or more out at sea.