Two new inshore patrol vessels have been commissioned at the Haulbowline Naval Base in Cork, a development which the Department of Defence says heralds the rejuvenation and expansion of the naval fleet, and which it hopes will also bolster recruitment.
At the ceremony, Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin also announced that the Sea-going Naval Personnel Tax Credit will be extended for a further five years.
The LÉ Gobnait and LÉ Aoibhinn were built in 2009 for the Royal New Zealand Navy, and were purchased from its government in 2022.
The vessels are smaller than standard patrol boats are as described as being "highly manoeuvrable" by the Department of Defence, which hopes that they will provide enhanced maritime surveillance and aid search and rescue operations.
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At a ceremony held at the base today, Micheál Martin was joined by Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy.
The Gobnait and Aoibhinn have a cruising speed of 12 knots and a maximum speed of double that, with a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,556km). Each carries a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
They are equipped with new electronic warfare and intelligence gathering capabilities which the department says will further enable the Naval Service to respond to an ever-changing maritime environment.
With 26 personnel, they have a lesser crewing requirement than the ships they replace, the now decommissioned LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara.
The Tánaiste said that the patrol vessels "will play a vital role in safeguarding our nation's security, and "contribute to the national effort of protecting our critical infrastructure".
"I know these vessels and their crews stand ready to continue the hugely important work of our Naval Service."
The department noted that they will be used to up the frequency of patrols along the east and south east coast.
The Tánaiste said that today's commissioning ceremony is "yet another demonstration of the Government's ongoing commitment to the modernisation of our Defence Forces".
Each ship carries two rigid hull inflatable boats which can be used for boarding operations and surveillance.
