Naval manpower crisis: More hands on deck needed

Do more with less has for some years been the prevailing requirement in public services and private enterprises as governments seek to cut state spending and companies strive to curb labour costs.

This is the challenge the country’s navy now faces, although it’s not because the Government wants to save money by cutting the service’s manpower.

The cause is the navy’s failure to stem the loss of experienced personnel at a time when it is clearly unable to attract a sufficient cadre of suitable recruits, and when the fleet has been increased from eight ships to nine, the latest addition being the George Bernard Shaw, delivered to Cork Harbour recently and bought at a cost of €70m.

There is also a plan in the pipeline to spend €200m on a multi-role vessel that will replace the fleet’s ageing flagship.

This is serious capital spending on substantial kit, but what is the point if manpower cannot be raised to the level required to guarantee safety at sea and high morale both on the ocean and in port?

The Government’s ambitions for our naval service are well founded. The navy is needed for fisheries’ protection and smuggling prevention in our home waters, and is also taking part in international humanitarian operations in the Mediterranean.

Many workers in offices and factories are familiar with health and safety gone mad, but it’s no joke for a navy tasked, rightly, with major missions. The Government must do everything possible to retain personnel and revive recruitment, and that means it must improve pay and conditions.