3 New Navy Vessels for Irish Naval Service

You are leaving out the continuous costs of a museum ship, that even US states are struggling with, for example the concerns about the material state of USS Texas, or the recent near loss of USS The Sullivans, closer to home there was that RN minesweeper that sank a few years ago, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bronington_(M1115)

She might make a decent flotel for the offshore energy industry. Excellent accom throughout the 3 decks, fully fitted galley serving 3 dining spaces via dumb waiter and 2 independent engineering spaces. Most of all a helipad for crew transfers. The Caley system that was added to it early in the 21st century is an industry standard already in the offshore industry, so all that would be required is replace the boarding RhIB with enclosed daughter craft.

Hold on to them a little while ,( till after they've beaten the Russians ) and offer them to the Ukrainians ? ( Obviously not as warships - just patrol vessels ) , they've a serious shortage of hulls and lack of time ,as well as plenty of engineering skills ...

You couldn't send them into a warzone no, as it currently is - but soonish there's going to be a need for armed patrol boats - and I wouldn't be surprised if Ukrainian engineers were able to upgrade eithne with their own kit .. might be worth offering them - before we scrap them ..

Where's ship street ? To the uneducated ? ,

I don't think there's any real chance of eithne being a museum ship ..although it gets called out everytime the navy retire anything -

Although if somebody can come up with the funds and run it as a bar/ restaurant/ club/ whatever I'd hope they'd get support to get it a decent mooring..

Lots of different points of view on this one. Can't make up me mind! Either throw a pile of miney at it and get it back into Tip Top condition for another 10 years service or else sink it is what I reckon. Understand the nostalgia of those who served and it would get the navy another decent ship on the cheap to supplement the new MRV and tide things over until that comes floatin over the horizon.

Regarding Ship Street, I think there's a bit of confusion there, as that's the street connecting Penrose Quay with Alfred Street & Lowewr Glanmire Road in Cork. That part of the river is already well fenced-in by bridges.

I think ancientmariner is referring to one of two proposed projects in the Docklands. One is a fixed-height bridge designed to take any future light rail line from the new southern entrance of Kent Station across into the Docklands. This bridge, if it ever gets built, will be permanently fixed, making much of Horgan's Quay, Kennedy Quay and Albert Quay unusable to moor anything larger than a currach.

The second project is the Eastern Gateway Bridge, a proposed bridge linking Monahan Road with the N8 near Tivoli. This one might be a fixed one as well, though I have also seen some designs floating around for it to be a swing bridge akin to Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin. If the Eastern Gateway Bridge is built as a fixed-span bridge, then it would basically close off the entire river west of Tivoli.

Whatever about the Eastern Gateway, the fact renders of the light rail fixed bridge showed yacht's happily sailing upstream. These people have a total ignorance of what the waterways are for and how they work other than providing a nice view for cyclists, walkers and tenants of the apartments they'll build on what was once a workplace.

Where is Carabia?

Couple kms south of st lucia!

Also dont write when your at traffic lights

There have been recent Ministerial comments proposing to put numbers on Budget increases for our post Commission/Ukraine Defence Forces. I hope we concentrate on Defence Capabilities i.e. weapon systems, suitable platforms, personnel numbers and usable reserves.

From a Naval point of view this does not mean that getting to sea in any obtainable craft is an answer. Building small craft with no purpose is a missed opportunity. The Finns have placed an order for 12 small missile craft at a cost around 30m Euro. With a population of 5.5m their Navy is something to be emulated for it's design to meet tasks in most Naval fields.

And bring in Conscription as well if you want to emulate the Finns. Not too mention the slight difference in geography.

They have a culture of serving their state.

Ireland has a culture of drink. I can't remember being on any military course that didn't revolve around getting rat-arsed at the first available opportunity.

The Finnish people, having faced invasion in Living memory, know what it means to protect your state. Meanwhile ours are caught between tales of men in overcoats armed with just a pistol and a home made grenade chasing first the brits, then anyone who disagreed with them, out of Ireland, and the nonsense notion that our proximity to the old enemy will in fact protect us should someone else invade. Meanwhile the suggestion that a mature debate on neutrality is required is dismissed as "FFG trying to sell our children to the EU Army" or some similar nonsense.

Just to clarify, I'm suggesting a Patrol/Fishery squadron within the Naval Service. It is within that unit that seamanship, ship handling, and close interaction with other vessels occurs. If we acquire vessels such as MCM, ASW, Missile Strike, they should do Defence duties and work where possible with other similar groupings. All vessels should undertake "Show the Flag" trips when opportune for State reasons.