Irish navy patrols set to increase after years of depleted activity

Naval vessel LÉ William Butler Yeats at berth before dawn in Cobh, Co Cork. Picture; David Creedon

The number of Irish navy patrols looks set to rise this year after successive years of dramatic reductions in activity.

Official figures show that the Naval Service will carry out in or around 520 patrols this year, extrapolating on the 349 patrols conducted up to the end of August.