The Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney T.D has announced support for a Naval Service Recruitment drive.

Minister Coveney, having completed an overnight Naval Patrol from Dún Laoghaire Harbour on board LÉ George Bernard Shaw (P64) to witness first-hand the dedication of the Naval Service and enormous responsibility attached to the maritime service branch of the Defence Forces, has declared his support for the current recruitment drive.

Commencing today, 26th June and for the next week and a half, the Naval Service will launch a tailored recruitment drive targeted at potential inductees to tackle the current shortfall in personnel. As part of this initiative, over (this weekend of 26th-27th June), the Naval Service vessel LÉ Roisín (P51) will be berthed in Dublin Port (at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay), where a pop-up recruitment post will be established.

Mr Coveney said: “This Recruitment Campaign is one of a suite of measures. Other measures that I have introduced include the sea-going service commitment scheme and a tax credit, both specifically targeted for sea-going Naval Service personnel.”

He added “I would like to offer my congratulations to the Naval Service for your part in the Defence Forces receipt, only this week, of a Medal of Excellence from the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics, MAOC-N, based in Lisbon.

Ireland plays an important role in supporting efforts to disrupt drug trafficking into Europe and I understand as recently as the start of June the Naval Service and other Irish authorities played a key part in a considerable seizure by Spanish authorities.

The Medal of Excellence is therefore a timely and appropriate acknowledgement of the Naval Service’s dedication and achievement, and a reminder of the wide variety of career opportunities available to naval recruits.”