No decision made on location for new navy base for €26m ships

LÉ Aoibhinn and LÉ Gobnait on their arrival at  Haulbowline naval headquarters in Cork Harbour in May 2023. Picture: Gerard McCarthy

Nearly 15 months after two former New Zealand ships costing €26m arrived to bolster the Irish navy's patrolling capability, no decision has yet been made on where they will be based on the east coast.

In August 2021, the Department of Defence confirmed to the Irish Examiner it was exploring the possibility of purchasing the ships to replace the now scrapped inshore patrol vessels LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara.