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SAILORS IN AN understaffed Naval Service feel like they’re “caught up in the middle” of a major row involving the Taoiseach, the minister and senior naval officers.
The dispute is one of several challenges the government is facing on defence matters but more than any other it has heaped pressure on Minister of State for Defence Paul Kehoe.
The dispute comes after a decision was made to take two of the navy’s vessels out of operation and place them in reserve.
In a newsletter sent to members of the Naval Service, Commodore Michael Malone said the decision was taken to “cut our cloth to measure” as a result of personnel leaving the organisation and the service operating “at reduced manning levels”.
Since that decision was first reported, Minister of State for Defence Paul Kehoe became embroiled in the controversy when he said the two vessels were docked for maintenance reasons.
Kehoe’s statement seemed to contradict that of the most senior officer in the Naval Service, leading to some sharp exchanges in the Dáil and two former Naval Service officers telling the Irish Examiner that the minister should resign.
The Taoiseach defended Kehoe, saying that “nobody in this house knows more about military matters or understands defence” more than the minister.
The response did not satisfy Fianna Fáil leader Michaél Martin, who said the army and the Naval Service had “lost all confidence” in Kehoe.
The numbers
Of the Naval Service’s nine ships, six are currently operational, with three at sea – a number Martin described in the Dáil as “sub-optimal for an island nation”.
The LÉ Róisín is currently undergoing a refit and the two ships that are being taken out of operation are the LÉ Eithne and the LÉ Orla.
The crew of the LÉ Róisín is being redistributed while this refit takes place, something the Defence Force’s described as “normal practice”.
The current minimum number of crew required for a vessel to go to sea is 34 sailors, a number which has been reduced from 44.
In his statement to members, Commodore Malone said he has listened to feedback since this reduction came into effect.
“During my FOCNS Annual Inspections I have listened to the ships’ companies, who have articulated the greater pressure felt by not having the ships fully manned to establishment. This has been exacerbated by operating nine ships with an establishment for six and a half,” he said.
Therefore I have taken the decision that the Naval Service now needs to “cut our cloth to measure” and take an operational pause to allow us to consolidate and regenerate. This will be achieved by placing two ships, LÉ Eithne and LÉ Orla, in an operational reserve capacity until adequate numbers of sufficiently qualified and experienced personnel are available.
In the Dáil on Tuesday, the Taoiseach said the ships were “going into planned maintenance” and that Kehoe had been told this in a briefing at Naval headquarters in Haulbowline in which Commodore Malone was present.
“What is different is that their crews are now being redeployed to the other vessels to ensure they are fully crewed and staffed,” the Taoiseach said.
In a statement, the Defence Forces Press Office said the redistribution of crews from the LÉ Eithne and LÉ Orla would help to bring other ships “up to the appropriate manning levels”.
The Defence Forces said that the ships were indeed going into “planned maintenance” but the crew’s redistribution made this decision stand out.
“It is not normal practice to redistribute the crew of a ship that is in for this type of maintenance but it was felt necessary to do so given the current shortage of personnel.”
“The operational plans and outputs of the Naval Service will continue to be reviewed in the context of the resources available.
In a further statement to TheJournal.ie, a Defence Forces spokesperson said:
Any measures of this nature are taken for the benefit of Óglaigh na hÉirean and for their safety because the Defence Forces values our members.
In the Dáil on Wednesday, Martin accused the Taoiseach of sounding “a bit like President Trump when he said that two opposites were actually the same thing”.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Senator Gerard Craughwell said the fact that the ships were going into maintenance in no way means that they aren’t being taken out of service.
“If you were going to Australian for a year and you had a car that you wanted to leave there until you came back, you’d have the car serviced and put away carefully so it’s serviceable when you come back, and that is precisely what Malone was doing with the Órla and the Eithne,” he explained.
Craughwell said it’s possible that the same could happen with another vessel if the problems with the retention of staff are not addressed, a prediction that is echoed by some Naval Service members.
One who spoke with TheJournal.ie said members are “flying out the door” and that it’s difficult to blame people who are seeing better opportunities elsewhere.
“You have a young fella and he’s going to sea for 26 day cycles, he’s looking at his buddy down the road in a local medical factory. Three 12 hour shifts a week, he’s earning more money than the individual going away for 26 days and he’s home every night of the week,” they said.
“The young fella is caught up in the middle of it. He’s none the wiser to the mess that he’s stuck inside in the middle of.”
The sailor added that the minimum crew of 34 for a vessel is probably sufficient, provided that all on board are receive the requisite training.
The member specifically alleged that there have been issues with the length of time devoted to fire safety training.
Asked about this claim, a Defence Forces spokesperson said that all personnel are trained to the highest standards.
“Safety is the number one priority for the Defence Forces and all personnel are trained to the highest standards with regards to safety and fire safety is the number one priority for the Naval Service,” they said.
Recruitment
A chronic recruitment shortage in defence forces across Europe has been a problem in recent years but the rendition issues have hit the Irish Naval Service particularly hard. In his letter, Malone stated that the organisation has lost 540 personnel in the last five years.
These issues are being felt across the other parts of the Defences Forces as well with Craughwell saying the Air Corps is increasingly stretched.
“I was rather disappointed that Micheál Martin didn’t put down a motion of no confidence in Paul Kehoe,” the Senator said.
I mean if we’re serious about a critical appraisal of the junior minister, who has had defence for seven years, how could someone have confidence over someone who has presided over the complete collapse of cyber security, the Air Corps, the collapse of the Naval Service. How could anyone say they have 100% confidence?
In an appearance in the Seanad on Wednesday, Kehoe defended his record and referred to the former Irish Army Sergeant as “Senator Negative Craughwell”.
Kehoe said that “at no stage did I or the government ever deny the staffing issues in the Naval Service” but he reiterated the the two ships were undergoing “planned maintenance”.
“I am happy to explain the current status of the naval fleet,” Minister of State Kehoe said.
The LÉ Róisín is going through a mid-life refit, while the LÉ Eithne and the LÉ Orla are going through planned maintenance and their crews will be deployed pending the return to service of both vessels. This will be kept under constant review. The three ships will be held in operational reserve or in maintenance.
“The remaining six vessels are fully operational. I reiterate that I and the government are fully mindful of the staffing and personnel issues that are facing the Naval Service. That is why I have directed officials and military management and senior naval officers to meet on Friday to fully explore all options to address the challenge in the Naval Service.”
“My focus is on returning the Naval Service to full capacity as soon as possible,” he added.
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Kehoe is a junior minister, the real villain is Leo who is actually the Minister responsible, more concerned with his image than the plight of our defense forces. Another failed ministry from Leo, first transport, next health now defense, not much of a legacy besides gay rights (more Enda than Leo) and abortion which were populist issues and were easy to get through in modern Ireland. The sooner FG jettison this phony and get a proper statesman type leader the better because I reckon they won’t win the next General Election with him. Btw I am Apolitical I don’t support any party
@Kevin50: It has to be Simon Coveney, he is the most measured politician I have listened to. Doing Leo’s Brexit dirty work.
@Kevin50: Kehoe is Leo’s mudguard, nothing more, nothing less.
@Aine Power: 100% right Aine.
I was in the Navy for 22 years. I never saw 3 ships tied up on maintenance at the same time before, normally one is tied up at a time. Something rotten is going on and it’s name is Keogh.
The minister kehoe is incompetent. Same as harris, murphy, creed, doherty, madigan, darcy, …just naming the worst of a poor lot.
There is a lot to be said for training a doctor to be a doctor, a teacher to be a teacher, an accountant to be an accountant, a journalist to be a journalist. None of these make good politicians. The nearest best thing to politicians i think are probably the ones that have already shown proven success in business and leadership in the real world, and sadly there is a hugh dearth of these types in our politics.
There is not 1 of these ministers competent to hold a ministry in this government.
Paul Kehoe should resign, why would anyone join the Defence Forces with the ridiculous pay they give. Look at the US army, you give three years to them and you have a free college degree in any university of your choosing.
@Aine Power: can’t you do the same when you join as a cadet in Ireland?
@Fred Conlan: Fred, whilst you are correct about the degree for cadets, a few friends of mine who are other ranks have also been sent for degrees as part of their trades, electronic engineering, IT, and I think the officers and NCOs who work in the engine rooms on the ships actually do the same degree.
As for the healthcare bit, your simply wrong on that one
@Vocal Outrage: No I am not buddy, I used to look after the billing in the air Corps for a couple of years. I saw and paid those bills through the DOD finance branch.
I can’t understand why people still sign up when they know others are petitioning for better pay.
@Daithi De Roiste: Not everyone does their career for money.
@Seamus ó Corcoráin: maybe to begin with..
@Daithi De Roiste: sometimes it might just be the calling of the sea.
@Oretani Wildlife: get paid alot better elsewhere in maritime industry
People are getting sick of Varadkar and his his ministers, so out of touch with ordinary people, the biggest culprit in this is Eoghan Murphy.
The minister is an idiot. Period.
@Ger: to call him an idiot is unfair. He has gotten himself into a job he has no qualifications for, is earning a six figure salary and is guaranteed a massive pension for the rest of his life, plus all the other perks. Incompetent is a more accurate label.
@Ger: He’s a lucky idiot. FG machine in Enniscorthy was strong after Ivan Yates and a stuffed donkey could have been elected for FG such was the strength of the FG big farmer vote in the county.
It was Kehoes position in Macra Na Feirme that actually led him to eventually become where he is today.
Leo loyalty is to his useless ministers doesn’t care about anyone else in this country
@francis dowling: It’s not loyalty it’s Dáil arithmetic. Kehoe’s seat is hopefully gone in the next GE. If Leo shafts Kehoe the loss of the seat is guaranteed.
@Chemical Brothers: totally agree with you it seems Leo doesn’t see it that way a wipe out of fine gael is badly needed!!
Rendition????…
Leo has already humbled himself a few times through his own stupidity at this rate its the only thing he will be experienced in
have your say