Sean O'Riordan: Recruitment crisis leaves navy on 'eve of destruction'

With the Naval Service haemorrhaging critical staff and difficulties around recruiting personnel, Ireland is left in a vulnerable position when it comes to protecting our coastlines

A Naval Service passing out ceremony at Haulbowline Naval Base, Cork, in February this year: By the end of the year the navy’s strength will dip below 800, nearly 300 short of the minimum number required. Picture: David Jones

The lookouts on the Titanic got very little time to alert the ill-fated ship’s captain of the looming iceberg that would sink them, whereas the Government has been repeatedly warned for the past seven years that the Irish navy is going under. Every year since, the warnings have become louder and the situation more critical.

The navy is now "on the eve of destruction", as the famous mid 1960s' hit song by Barry McGuire goes, because successive governments did not heed the advice of people who could see what was coming down the tracks. Questions are being asked now across the military: is it a case of too little too late, especially when it comes to protecting our maritime domain.