Irish navy is now at two thirds of its full strength 

As well as the hiring crisis, the Naval Service is short of vessels, with its latest P70 craft, the LÉ Aoibhinn and LÉ Gobnait, still not operational and with no timeline to equip them with sonar. Picture: Gerard McCarthy 

The strength of the Naval Service has shrunk to just over 700 personnel while it is still operating with just one ship capable of patrolling Atlantic waters.

The Defence Forces said the latest available information on its strength, as of April 30, was 718 whole-time equivalents.