Fire, staffing leave just five out of navy's nine ships operational

The fire onboard LE Niamh occurred while it was undergoing routine maintenance. Picture: Eric Roe 

A recent fire on board the LÉ Niamh, coupled with a general manpower crisis in the Naval Service, means only five of the navy's nine ships can currently go out on patrol.

The Naval Service is unable to put the fire-damaged LÉ Niamh back to sea for a number of weeks, while a lack of specialist crew members recently delayed another vessel from going on patrol.

Last weekend, a fire broke out on LÉ Niamh while she was undergoing routine maintenance at Cork Dockyard, Rushbrooke.