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#SeafoodWineEvent – A mouthwatering seafood cookery demonstration and wine-tasting event extraordinaire takes place at the National Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire next week.

The evening event on Thursday 24 April between 7.30-10pm will see Peter Caviston demonstrate the skills to prepare monk fish, crab and other choice fish dishes. Also lending a hand will be Robert Mitchell who will demonstrate the wines that will best complement the food.

For tastings and learning more plus all the craic!... tickets are €10 and proceeds are in support of the National Maritime Museum.

Book early to avoid dissapointment as are there are only a limited number of tickets available!

Booking can be made by email: [email protected] and by contacting the NMMI Tel: (01) 214 3964. For further information in general about the museum and gift shop, opening times and other events visit: www.mariner.ie

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

#HowthGunRunning – A lecture entiltled 'Local Aspects of the Howth Gun Running' will be presented by Diarmuid Ó Cathasaigh on Tuesday 22 April at 8pm.

The lecture will no doubt draw great interest and as the topic surrounds a period in our history a century ago when munitions were secretly landed from the Asgard for the Irish Volunteers in 1914.

All are welcome to the lecture held in the Howth Angling Centre, West Pier, Howth Harbour and which is organised by the Howth Peninsula Historical Society, non-members entrance fee of €5.

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

#FirstBoyneSwim - The inaugural Boyne Swim will take place on 14 June at 12.30pm and as previously reported on Afloat.ie is to be part of the Irish Maritime Festival held in Drogheda.

The swimming event is being organised by Drogheda Triathlon Club with Aura as the main sponsor.

Starting at Mell, west of Drogheda town centre, the 2.7km long course takes the swimmers through Drogheda Port and finishing South East of the famous (Dublin-Belfast Railway Line) viaduct bridge which spans over commercial shipping activity below.

Drogheda Triathlon Club's main aim is to have the Boyne Swim as an annual event on the National Open Water Calendar alongside the well-established Liffey, Lee & Dun Laoghaire Harbour Swims.

The club are hoping to attract the top open water swimmers in the country to the Boyne Swim with many already registered from all four corners of the country.

This event is open to wetsuit and non-wetsuit swimmers and has both senior and junior prize categories. Drogheda Port Company are sponsoring the trophies for this event. For further nformation and online registration visit www.droghedatri.ie

The Irish Maritime Festival (13,14 and 15 June) is being hosted by Drogheda Borough Council, Drogheda Port and supported by Drogheda Chamber of Commerce.

Among an expected line-up of tallships, the West Country trading ketch, Bessie Ellen, is to arrive on the Boyne from Oban, Scotland. The crew will experience traditional sailing skills, a sense of adventure and camaraderie of the 110 year lady of the sea.

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

#Lecture – The Maritime Institute of Ireland presents a fundraising lecture "Coastguard 1822-2014: Hands Round the Country" in the National Maritime Museum, Haigh Terrace, Dun Laoghaire at 7.30pm on Thursday 10th April.

The main emphasis of the talke will be on how the Coastguard has contributed to famine relief, rescue work, its people and notable incidents over almost 200 years. There are some surprising stories, backed up with pictures.

Joe Ryan has a MSc in Emergency Management (Hons) and has worked at MRCC Dublin in operations for almost 20 years and co-ordinated during incidents e.g. FV Carrickatine, R111 (Dauphine at Tramore), Currach at Bellderg cave and many more.

Lecture tickets cost €10 and are to help promote Maritime Heritage. For bookings contact Joe Ryan at email: [email protected] or the museum's email: [email protected] or directly contacting the Maritime Museum Tel: (01) 214 3964 which is open 11am - 5pm daily.

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

#Lecture- "Dublin Bay, the Cradle of Yacht Racing-Rewriting the Story of our Sport", a public lecture by Hal Sisk, yachting historian is to be held next Thursday 3 April (8pm) at the Poolbeg Boat and Yacht Club, Ringsend in Dublin 4.

This is the final lecture of the Members of Glenua & Friends 2013-14 series held in the Ringsend venue from where there is a lecture entrance fee of €5 in aid of RNLI. For further details contact: 087 2129614.

The current series was very well attended and the organisers wish to thank you for your valuable support in that regard. Lectures will return in October and no doubt bringing more fascinating topics in the cosy surroundings of the Poolbeg clubhouse and bar.

Returning to the final lecture of this season, the topic of the amateur sport of sailing, as we know it, first emerged, not in Holland, not in Cowes, and not even in Cork, but right here in Dublin Bay!

Earlier "yachting" episodes used entirely professional crews, and the yacht owners and friends were little more than passengers. But from the 1850s in Dublin Bay the sport developed with active leisure sailors actually learning to sail and race their yachts themselves, as we all do today. And for two decades, 1855 to 1875, Dubliners led the world in shaping the sport, including setting the original rules, and also introducing such innovations as offshore and singlehanded racing.

With many illustrations from the paintings and photographs of the period, yachting historian Hal Sisk will show how much of a challenge it was to be the pioneers, and in what kind of yachts they sailed.
Hal's restorations of the classic yachts Vagrant and Peggy Bawn are exemplary in authenticity, and he has entertained audiences in five continents with his enthusiastic presentations.

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

#Lecture - "An Irish Corvette at War – HMS Oxlip to Le Maeve" is to be presented by John Treacy and will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at 8pm at the  Stella Maris Seafarer's Club, 3 Beresford Place, Dublin.

The LE Maev served the Irish State for almost a quarter of a century, during some of the darkest periods of Irish naval policy. Suffering from a chronic lack of economic resources, flagging political support and a comical social perception, the Maev and her sisters struggled to provide the maritime security envisaged after the Emergency. To read more on this lecture topic click link.

All are welcome to attend the evening lecture organised by the Maritime Institute of Ireland which is held at the city-centre venue where a bar and refreshments are available. A voluntary contribution is payable to the door to the M.I.I. which runs the National Maritime Museum (NMMI) in Dun Laoghaire.

The lecture organisers would be pleased for anyone to kindly forward details about the lecture programme, held on the third Thursday of each month.

Public transport: The nearest DART stations are Connolly Station and at Tara Street in addition to the LUAS (Red) line stop at Busáras. Car parking is located in the Irish Life Mall (ILAC) on Lower Abbey Street.

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

#ShackletonsCabin – Shackleton's Cabin from the Quest where he died on 5 January 1921 is the topic of a talk this Saturday, 8 March at 4pm in the Royal St. George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The speaker and owner of Shackleton's Cabin is Mr. Ulf Bakke, who is a grandson of the shipyard owner that acquired the Quest on its return from Antarctica in 1921 when it was converted into a Sealer. The cabin was removed and has been safely maintained ever since in Norway.

All are welcome to the talk in the yacht club venue. Admission fee of €10.

Nearby you can also relive the life story of the Irish born polar explorer at the Shackleton Endurance Exhibition and gift shop located in the ferryport terminal.

The terminal will see the return of Stena Line's HSS fast-craft operated seasonal-service to Holyhead starting on 9 April.

Published in Boating Fixtures

#MarineArt - An exhibition of paintings from the collection of National Maritime Museum of Ireland in Dun Laoghaire will be launched by Ian Whyte of Whyte's Fine Art Auctioneers.

The launch is at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 12 March and where light refreshments will be served in the former Mariners Church on Haigh Terrace, close to the Royal Marine Hotel.

Opportunities to see the collection will continue until the end of June and during normal museum opening hours (11am-5pm daily). There is an admission fee of €5, Family €12 and for  Children under 12 €3.

Alternatively you can consider becoming a member of the Maritime Institute of Ireland which was founded in 1941 and in which would later establish the maritime museum.  The membership entitles you to visit the museum free of charge.

The museum is (mostly) wheelchair accessible and there is a Museum Cafe serving hot snacks. For further information including how to become a volunteer contact: (01) 280 0969 or visit: www.mariner.ie

Published in Boating Fixtures

#Lecture – "Beef, Butter and Pork-Cork Shipping Trade During the American War of Independence 1775-83" is to be presented by Joe Varley, maritime historian next week, Thursday 6 March at 20:00 in Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club, Ringsend, Dublin.

All are welcome to the 2013/2014 lecture series organised by the Members of Glenua & Friends which is held in the intimate venue located close to the busy heart of Dublin Port. Entry fee of €5 is in aid of the RNLI. For further detail contact: 087 2129614

To lecture is about the mid-18th Century Cork merchants who became very wealthy by exporting heavily-salted beef, pork and butter. The main markets were in Spain, Portugal and in the West Indies.

However, the American war also created a military demand for these exports. This demand had an immediate and long-term effect on business and shipping in the port of Cork. These changed circumstances form the theme for this illustrated presentation.

Joe Varley has a reputation for being an engaging and entertaining lecturer that springs from his seagoing experience as a radio officer, his time as a sailing instructor with Glenans and his long-serving membership of the Maritime Institute of Ireland.

In 2012-2013, he completed an M.A. in Naval history at the University of Exeter. The research for this lecture was taken from academic work presented at that time.

Published in Boating Fixtures

#Lecture – "Cork During the American War of Independence: 1775-1783" is the title of the lecture presented by Joe Varley and held in Stella Maris Seafarers Club, 3 Beresford Place, Dublin this Thursday 20 February (8pm).

The illustrated lecture focuses on the huge increase in trade brought about by Cork Merchants supplying the British military with essential supplies during the war.

All are welcome to attend the evening lecture organised by the Maritime Institute of Ireland which is held at the city-centre venue where a bar and refreshments are available. A voluntary contribution is payable to the door to the M.I.I. which runs the National Maritime Museum (NMMI) in Dun Laoghaire.

The lecture organisers would be pleased for anyone to kindly forward details about the lecture programme, held on the third Thursday of each month.

Public transport: The nearest DART stations are Connolly Station and at Tara Street in addition to the LUAS (Red) line stop at Busáras. Car parking is located in the Irish Life Mall (ILAC) on Lower Abbey Street.

 

Published in Boating Fixtures
Page 6 of 9

About the Irish Navy

The Navy maintains a constant presence 24 hours a day, 365 days a year throughout Ireland’s enormous and rich maritime jurisdiction, upholding Ireland’s sovereign rights. The Naval Service is tasked with a variety of roles including defending territorial seas, deterring intrusive or aggressive acts, conducting maritime surveillance, maintaining an armed naval presence, ensuring right of passage, protecting marine assets, countering port blockades; people or arms smuggling, illegal drugs interdiction, and providing the primary diving team in the State.

The Service supports Army operations in the littoral and by sealift, has undertaken supply and reconnaissance missions to overseas peace support operations and participates in foreign visits all over the world in support of Irish Trade and Diplomacy.  The eight ships of the Naval Service are flexible and adaptable State assets. Although relatively small when compared to their international counterparts and the environment within which they operate, their patrol outputs have outperformed international norms.

The Irish Naval Service Fleet

The Naval Service is the State's principal seagoing agency. The Naval Service operates jointly with the Army and Air Corps.

The fleet comprises one Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV), three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), two Large Patrol Vessel (LPV) and two Coastal Patrol Vessels (CPV). Each vessel is equipped with state of the art machinery, weapons, communications and navigation systems.

LÉ EITHNE P31

LE Eithne was built in Verlome Dockyard in Cork and was commissioned into service in 1984. She patrols the Irish EEZ and over the years she has completed numerous foreign deployments.

Type Helicopter Patrol Vessel
Length 80.0m
Beam 12m
Draught 4.3m
Main Engines 2 X Ruston 12RKC Diesels6, 800 HP2 Shafts
Speed 18 knots
Range 7000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 55 (6 Officers)
Commissioned 7 December 1984

LÉ ORLA P41

L.É. Orla was formerly the HMS SWIFT a British Royal Navy patrol vessel stationed in the waters of Hong Kong. She was purchased by the Irish State in 1988. She scored a notable operational success in 1993 when she conducted the biggest drug seizure in the history of the state at the time, with her interception and boarding at sea of the 65ft ketch, Brime.

Type Coastal Patrol Vessel
Length 62.6m
Beam 10m
Draught 2.7m
Main Engines 2 X Crossley SEMT- Pielstick Diesels 14,400 HP 2 Shafts
Speed 25 + Knots
Range 2500 Nautical Miles @ 17 knots
Crew 39 (5 Officers)

LÉ CIARA P42

L.É. Ciara was formerly the HMS SWALLOW a British Royal Navy patrol vessel stationed in the waters of Hong Kong. She was purchased by the Irish State in 1988. She scored a notable operational success in Nov 1999 when she conducted the second biggest drug seizure in the history of the state at that time, with her interception and boarding at sea of MV POSIDONIA of the south-west coast of Ireland.

Type Coastal Patrol Vessel
Length 62.6m
Beam 10m
Draught 2.7m
Main Engines 2 X Crossley SEMT- Pielstick Diesels 14,400 HP 2 Shafts
Speed 25 + Knots
Range 2500 Nautical Miles @ 17 knots
Crew 39 (5 Officers)

LÉ ROISIN P51

L.É. Roisin (the first of the Roisín class of vessel) was built in Appledore Shipyards in the UK for the Naval Service in 2001. She was built to a design that optimises her patrol performance in Irish waters (which are some of the roughest in the world), all year round. For that reason a greater length overall (78.8m) was chosen, giving her a long sleek appearance and allowing the opportunity to improve the conditions on board for her crew.

Type Long Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 78.84m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 X Twin 16 cly V26 Wartsila 26 medium speed Diesels
5000 KW at 1,000 RPM 2 Shafts
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)
Commissioned 18 September 2001

LÉ NIAMH P52

L.É. Niamh (the second of the Róisín class) was built in Appledore Shipyard in the UK for the Naval Service in 2001. She is an improved version of her sister ship, L.É.Roisin

Type Long Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 78.84m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 X Twin 16 cly V26 Wartsila 26 medium speed Diesels
5000 KW at 1,000 RPM 2 Shafts
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)
Commissioned 18 September 2001

LÉ SAMUEL BECKETT P61

LÉ Samuel Beckett is an Offshore Patrol Vessel built and fitted out to the highest international standards in terms of safety, equipment fit, technological innovation and crew comfort. She is also designed to cope with the rigours of the North-East Atlantic.

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

LÉ JAMES JOYCE P62

LÉ James Joyce is an Offshore Patrol Vessel and represents an updated and lengthened version of the original RÓISÍN Class OPVs which were also designed and built to the Irish Navy specifications by Babcock Marine Appledore and she is truly a state of the art ship. She was commissioned into the naval fleet in September 2015. Since then she has been constantly engaged in Maritime Security and Defence patrolling of the Irish coast. She has also deployed to the Defence Forces mission in the Mediterranean from July to end of September 2016, rescuing 2491 persons and recovering the bodies of 21 deceased

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

LÉ WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS P63

L.É. William Butler Yeats was commissioned into the naval fleet in October 2016. Since then she has been constantly engaged in Maritime Security and Defence patrolling of the Irish coast. She has also deployed to the Defence Forces mission in the Mediterranean from July to October 2017, rescuing 704 persons and recovering the bodies of three deceased.

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

LÉ GEORGE BERNARD SHAW P64

LÉ George Bernard Shaw (pennant number P64) is the fourth and final ship of the P60 class vessels built for the Naval Service in Babcock Marine Appledore, Devon. The ship was accepted into State service in October 2018, and, following a military fit-out, commenced Maritime Defence and Security Operations at sea.

Type Offshore Patrol Vessel
Length 90.0m
Beam 14m
Draught 3.8m
Main Engines 2 x Wärtsilä diesel engines and Power Take In, 2 x shafts, 10000kw
Speed 23 knots
Range 6000 Nautical Miles @ 15 knots
Crew 44 (6 Officers)

Ship information courtesy of the Defence Forces

Irish Navy FAQs

The Naval Service is the Irish State's principal seagoing agency with "a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements". It is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles.

The Naval Service is based in Ringaskiddy, Cork harbour, with headquarters in the Defence Forces headquarters in Dublin.

The Naval Service provides the maritime component of the Irish State's defence capabilities and is the State's principal seagoing agency. It "protects Ireland's interests at and from the sea, including lines of communication, fisheries and offshore resources" within the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Naval Service operates jointly with the Army and Air Corps as part of the Irish defence forces.

The Naval Service was established in 1946, replacing the Marine and Coastwatching Service set up in 1939. It had replaced the Coastal and Marine Service, the State's first marine service after independence, which was disbanded after a year. Its only ship was the Muirchú, formerly the British armed steam yacht Helga, which had been used by the Royal Navy to shell Dublin during the 1916 Rising. In 1938, Britain handed over the three "treaty" ports of Cork harbour, Bere haven and Lough Swilly.

The Naval Service has nine ships - one Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV), three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), two Large Patrol Vessel (LPV) and two Coastal Patrol Vessels (CPV). Each vessel is equipped with State of the art machinery, weapons, communications and navigation systems.

The ships' names are prefaced with the title of Irish ship or "long Éireannach" (LE). The older ships bear Irish female names - LÉ Eithne, LÉ Orla, LÉ Ciara, LÉ Roisín, and LÉ Niamh. The newer ships, named after male Irish literary figures, are LÉ Samuel Beckett, LÉ James Joyce, LÉ William Butler Yeats and LÉ George Bernard Shaw.

Yes. The 76mm Oto Melara medium calibre naval armament is the most powerful weapon in the Naval Services arsenal. The 76mm is "capable of engaging naval targets at a range of up to 17km with a high level of precision, ensuring that the Naval Service can maintain a range advantage over all close-range naval armaments and man-portable weapon systems", according to the Defence Forces.

The Fleet Operational Readiness Standards and Training (FORST) unit is responsible for the coordination of the fleet needs. Ships are maintained at the Mechanical Engineering and Naval Dockyard Unit at Ringaskiddy, Cork harbour.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

The Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service (FOCNS) is Commodore Michael Malone. The head of the Defence Forces is a former Naval Service flag officer, now Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett – appointed in 2015 and the first Naval Service flag officer to hold this senior position. The Flag Officer oversees Naval Operations Command, which is tasked with the conduct of all operations afloat and ashore by the Naval Service including the operations of Naval Service ships. The Naval Operations Command is split into different sections, including Operations HQ and Intelligence and Fishery Section.

The Intelligence and Fishery Section is responsible for Naval Intelligence, the Specialist Navigation centre, the Fishery Protection supervisory and information centre, and the Naval Computer Centre. The Naval Intelligence Cell is responsible for the collection, collation and dissemination of naval intelligence. The Navigation Cell is the naval centre for navigational expertise.

The Fishery Monitoring Centre provides for fishery data collection, collation, analysis and dissemination to the Naval Service and client agencies, including the State's Sea Fisheries Protection Agency. The centre also supervises fishery efforts in the Irish EEZ and provides data for the enhanced effectiveness of fishery protection operations, as part of the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The Naval Computer Centre provides information technology (IT) support service to the Naval Service ashore and afloat.

This headquarters includes specific responsibility for the Executive/Operations Branch duties. The Naval Service Operations Room is a coordination centre for all NS current Operations. The Naval Service Reserve Staff Officer is responsible for the supervision, regulation and training of the reserve. The Diving section is responsible for all aspects of Naval diving and the provision of a diving service to the Naval Service and client agencies. The Ops Security Section is responsible for the coordination of base security and the coordination of all shore-based security parties operating away from the Naval base. The Naval Base Comcen is responsible for the running of a communications service. Boat transport is under the control of Harbour Master Naval Base, who is responsible for the supervision of berthage at the Naval Base and the provision of a boat service, including the civilian manned ferry service from Haulbowline.

Naval Service ships have undertaken trade and supply missions abroad, and personnel have served as peacekeepers with the United Nations. In 2015, Naval Service ships were sent on rotation to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean as part of a bi-lateral arrangement with Italy, known as Operation Pontus. Naval Service and Army medical staff rescued some 18,000 migrants, either pulling people from the sea or taking them off small boats, which were often close to capsizing having been towed into open water and abandoned by smugglers. Irish ships then became deployed as part of EU operations in the Mediterranean, but this ended in March 2019 amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the EU.

Essentially, you have to be Irish, young (less than 32), in good physical and mental health and with normal vision. You must be above 5'2″, and your weight should be in keeping with your age.

Yes, women have been recruited since 1995. One of the first two female cadets, Roberta O'Brien from the Glen of Aherlow in Co Tipperary, became its first female commander in September 2020. Sub Lieutenant Tahlia Britton from Donegal also became the first female diver in the navy's history in the summer of 2020.

A naval cadet enlists for a cadetship to become an officer in the Defence Forces. After successfully completing training at the Naval Service College, a cadet is commissioned into the officer ranks of the Naval Service as a Ensign or Sub Lieutenant.

A cadet trains for approximately two years duration divided into different stages. The first year is spent in military training at the Naval Base in Haulbowline, Cork. The second-year follows a course set by the National Maritime College of Ireland course. At the end of the second year and on completion of exams, and a sea term, the cadets will be qualified for the award of a commission in the Permanent Defence Force as Ensign.

The Defence Forces say it is looking for people who have "the ability to plan, prioritise and organise", to "carefully analyse problems, in order to generate appropriate solutions, who have "clear, concise and effective communication skills", and the ability to "motivate others and work with a team". More information is on the 2020 Qualifications Information Leaflet.

When you are 18 years of age or over and under 26 years of age on the date mentioned in the notice for the current competition, the officer cadet competition is held annually and is the only way for potential candidates to join the Defence Forces to become a Naval Service officer. Candidates undergo psychometric and fitness testing, an interview and a medical exam.
The NMCI was built beside the Naval Service base at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, and was the first third-level college in Ireland to be built under the Government's Public-Private Partnership scheme. The public partners are the Naval Service and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the private partner is Focus Education.
A Naval Service recruit enlists for general service in the "Other Ranks" of the Defence Forces. After successfully completing the initial recruit training course, a recruit passes out as an Ordinary Seaman and will then go onto their branch training course before becoming qualified as an Able Body sailor in the Naval Service.
No formal education qualifications are required to join the Defence Forces as a recruit. You need to satisfy the interview board and the recruiting officer that you possess a sufficient standard of education for service in the Defence Forces.
Recruit training is 18 weeks in duration and is designed to "develop a physically fit, disciplined and motivated person using basic military and naval skills" to "prepare them for further training in the service. Recruits are instilled with the Naval Service ethos and the values of "courage, respect, integrity and loyalty".
On the progression up through the various ranks, an Able Rate will have to complete a number of career courses to provide them with training to develop their skills in a number of areas, such as leadership and management, administration and naval/military skills. The first of these courses is the Naval Service Potential NCO course, followed by the Naval Service Standard NCO course and the Naval Service senior NCO course. This course qualifies successful candidates of Petty officer (or Senior Petty Officer) rank to fill the rank of Chief Petty Officer upwards. The successful candidate may also complete and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership, Management and Naval Studies in partnership with Cork Institute of Technology.
Pay has long been an issue for just the Naval Service, at just over 1,000 personnel. Cadets and recruits are required to join the single public service pension scheme, which is a defined benefit scheme, based on career-average earnings. For current rates of pay, see the Department of Defence website.