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THE IRISH GOVERNMENT has donated the recently-decommissioned LÉ AOIFE to Malta to help the Mediterranean country deal with the ongoing refugee crisis in the region.
The vessel was decommissioned from the Naval Service in Waterford in at the end of last month, after 36 years in service.
The Department of Defence had initially planned to sell the ship, as it did with the decommissioned LÉ Emer in 2013 (it reached €320,000 at an auction in Cork).
However, Minister Simon Coveney confirmed earlier this week that another course of action was being considered, after an approach from Malta.
“Following discussions with my Maltese counterpart, I understand that the Maltese authorities require this ship for their armed forces to patrol the Mediterranean Sea to endeavour to deal with the ongoing difficult refugee crisis in the region,” Coveney said.
“Recent tragic events in that part of the Mediterranean have underlined the significant challenges which need to be addressed by the international community.”
In a statement today, Coveney confirmed that the transfer of the ship had been formally agreed at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Latvia.
“While the vessel is no longer viable for use in Irish waters it is ideally suited to address a pressing short-term shortfall in the naval capacity of Malta,” he said.
Coveney said that the refugee crisis represented a significant challenge for the EU and that while Ireland wasn’t at the front line of the crisis, the country was pleased to be in a position to support the response.
The two ministers, according to the statement “instructed their officials to deal with the formal modalities of the transfer of ownership of the ship at the earliest opportunity”.
The UNHCR says that almost 3,500 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe last year. In the latest tragedy – last week – at least 300 migrants are feared to have drowned – trying to cross from north Africa.
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You did Ireland proud. 4th in the world, nothing to sniff at.
Well done to her, she’ll be disappointed, but she’ll come again, faster and stronger.
Of course she will, she’s young yet and only starting her career. Amazing runner.
Bravo, Bravo, Bravo. 4th in the world, at her age. Her time for gold will come !
@Ian McDonald: judging by the power and speed of first and second place in the final it’s difficult to see a gold medal in 2028 going her way
She’ll be a real force in LA 2028. Multiple medals incoming for this girl
@Andrew Clavin: Oaf
@Andrew Clavin: nobhead
@Andrew Clavin: poor troll is poor!
@Andrew Clavin: yep..! what odds are you offering loud mouth ?
@Andrew Clavin: Of course, what price are you offering on her winning two+ medals in LA ’28
@Andrew Clavin: I’ll have 500euro at that price so, I’m gonna screenshot this, see you in four years, it’s curtains for you
@Andrew Clavin: ill have one with ya ?
@Ronan McGrath: “I’m gonna screenshot this” what a melt!
@Andrew Clavin: Your ma.
Fantastic run from Rhasidat.
We are so proud of you.
Well done lass Ireland island rooting for you safe home.
There’s no shame in coming in after those top 3 ladies. Some serious talent in that race. Rhasidat’s time will come, she’s a super athlete.
Gave it everything.
Well done Rhasidat, absolutely fantastic as ever and did Ireland proud.
Gutted for her, she’s so disappointed.
Not her time on this occasion but she’ll be a force in L.A. ’28.
Her time will come. Star in the making.
Ireland is so proud of you!!
Los Angeles 2028 will be her time
Her 3rd fastest time ever in an Olympic final and only 21. She was fab!! Watch her in 4 years. Her final 100m was ragged so she will be disappointed but she did us all proud.
Brilliant she done the country proud still more olympics left in her
So proud of this lady. She was really upset, but surely there are better times ahead. Look forward Rashida not backwards. Your our girl. Head up be proud.
Up another 2 positions on the qualifying time (6th fastest). Constantly improving. Here’s to continued success.
This was a stepping stone to LA Olympics. Irish media built her up for a fall in this one.
@sean bourke: not seeing the fall but yeah there was a hype machine alright.
@Sean Parker: years ago we disliked the way the English/ British media hyped their athletes. Our media are heading the same way creating the hype, increasing the pressure on young athletes and footballers. It was an impress performance by Rashidat Adeleke to be sure and I hope she remains the modest young woman she appears to be and dosent believe the hype or let it influence her development. If she runs the 4×100 relay it will be great to see Irish athletes in another final. L.A. awaits our olympians.
Gave it everything. Will be hard for her now but will get easier when she has time to look back on it. The three medals were better times than her PB, it’s more difficult when you know you have been fast enough before. She’s 21. It’s incredible. Her time will come.
At least she bet the brits!
Amazing run. You did Ireland proud!
All this hype for a 4th place. Not bad, not good either.
@Alex: The girl did good. She was up against the best in the world. Her time will come in LA. She is only 21 years old, and she is the future.
@Alex:
Shame we can not get you in to the 100 meters bar stool sprint, Ireland would be so proud.
@Alex: sad comment
@Alex: Totally new territory for Irish athletics, first athlete in an Olympic sprint final ever, so I disagree with you, I say it is good.
@Alex: 4th in the world of that particular sport, thats not good or bad, it’s brilliant. I suppose you’re comparing her to yourself of being No1 t.w.a.t in the world
@Alex: far better than anything you’ve ever done
@Alex: if you think about all the good runners who never made it past the heats, it’s quite an achievement to finish 4th out of 24 odd entrants!
@Alex: pales into insignificance when compared with your achievements I’m sure.
@Alex: don’t even know what to say to that.
@Alex: 4th in THE WORLD
Hyped up by social media, the only true star is Kellie Harrington.
Not up to it, if you don’t have it at 21 you certainly won’t have at 25. Hype doesn’t win medals. Your sponsors leave
@Áine G: What would you know?
@Áine G: Your peak as a sprint athlete is between 24.3 years and 25.6 years. Right in the window. But 4th in the world is an UNBELIEVABLE achievement at 21…. But of course you know best!
@Áine G: you would know this because you never competed at anything in your failure of a life
@Áine G: :-) I’m literally in tears laughing at your ignorance Aine.. Sure keep applying you’re flawed logic downwards .. what age are you at now ?? 400m runners usually peek around 25 +/- 2 years.. but rarely.. in fact never.. did an Olympic 400m runner reach their peak at 21.. put the kettle on and have a sit down for yourself..
@Paul Beggan: ‘In aerobic events, such as marathons, the muscles get enough oxygen to use fats and carbohydrates as their primary fuel. In anaerobic events, like the 110-m hurdle, there’s a lack of oxygen and the body instead burns glucose stored locally in muscles. This supply is exhausted quickly.
The researchers used data from the Olympics spanning 1960 to 2016. They defined anaerobic events as those lasting less than two minutes and aerobic events as over five minutes, while events in-between were “mixed.” The average age for peak anaerobic performance was around 23, compared with 26 for aerobic events, the study found.’
Source:https://www.livescience.com/health/exercise/at-what-age-does-athleticism-peak-in-different-sports
Áine is correct, you are wrong Paul.
@Áine G: she definitely is up to it, she’s just raced in an Olypmic final against the best in the world where the winner set a new Olympic record.
She never ran sub 49 for 400m so this will be her target going forward and she will do it. She’s having an amazing career at the very highest level and will be looking at sub 49 times going forward and much success thru the years ahead.
@Tom L: The girl that won it is 27. She got silver four years ago…
@Robert Hill: Doping is real.
@Tom L: It’s funny how you’ve gone from quoting scientific papers to pure speculation.
Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t, but I’m going to presume she would have been tested at some point over the course of the past three Olympics and has passed those tests.
Just watched this. She’s young and very talented. You could see how disappointed she was. Which is good. Not like the usual. Athletes who think coming fourth is somehow good. An athelete wants to win. And Adeleke is a winner. She’ll do better next time.
Not good enough. Is that a fair thing to say.
@Áine G:
Go back to your unproductive life.
@Áine G: No, but you had to say it anyway, ya eejit!
Awesome, at so many levels, Sonia lost one before she got one, but let’s be proud 4 golds and 3 bronze, and a future…..who thought
Great effort, never mind the begrudgers.
No good, fourth is a loss, but in typical misguided fashion, Ireland celebrates losing
@John: hahaha like to see what you could do. Might just make it to the kitchen.
@John: we don’t celebrate losing. We appreciate effort and talent. That’s the difference.
@John: Bingo
Fantastic run by Rhasidat today. It’s looking like she will achieve the sub 49 seconds also which will be amazing. So much to look forward to over the next couple of years.
Rock Star
Shes 21 she hasnt reached her peak. LA 2028 watch out
@Fidelma Clarke: exactly. She will run sub 49 in the near future and being so young will most likely make that her regular race pace.
She has LA to look forward to but so much in between now and then too. She’s enjoying a great career with so much more to.come.
She did amazing. Stand tall and proud .
Just no Gabby Thomas.
@Áine G:
says the armchair critic. Sad.
@Áine G: You’ve come first in the trolling this thread competition, you’ve earned yourself a brown medal.
@Áine G: 4 comments on the same post denigrating a phenomenal athlete who is doing much more for her country than you are. Take a break and immerse yourself in reality as you’re clearly terminally online.
Was just wondering if the length of her hair is a factor surely a little bit of drag?
Well done Rhasidat .
History made.
@D White: Huh? History? History never remembers the losers, never.
@Tom L: what a sad life you must have to be coming on here talking down a very good young athlete.
Said she had a pizza a 4 Guinness beforehand. Imagine what she would have done if she hadn’t had the munchies. Gwan Rhasidat, youre the bizzo
Congratulations you are fantastic
The warp speeds are in with their 2 penny worth comments.
Fourth is fourth
(how long will this post last this time before it is deleted ?
@Ivan Counihan: Yes, fourth in the world.
@Annette: No, 4th in Olympics, the world championships are more important bread and butter to athletes. Ya think an Olympic gold boxer is as good as a seasoned pro? sure they can transcend from amateur (Olympics) to pro and become greats in their own right i.e. Katie Taylor.
@Tom L: All I know is Katie worked hard to achieve her medals, but you are talking about a different sport altogether. Didn’t know Katie and Rashida were in competition. Athletics is different, and for a 21 year old in the 400 meter category, she has done wonders.
No pressure then … This is presented as she would be the one winning or losing… What about the 3 others?
Smashing young one, will grow from first olympic experience, bravo!!!
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