11-06-2025
Long-neglected Naval Service strength 'starts to creep up'
Naval Service strength is set to rise to over 760 as the next batch of recruits commences training this month.
It marks an improvement on last year when numbers dropped to a low of 719 – but security sources stress it is 'early days' in the recovery of the service. Naval Service (NS) numbers are still more than 300 short of what they should be under department levels (1,094).
And under Government plans – in line with the second Level of Ambition (LOA2) of three possible investment levels set out by the Commission on the Defence Forces (DF) in February 2022 – the establishment figure for the NS needs to reach 1,794, an increase of a further 700 people.
This means the service is currently over 1,000 personnel short of the target under the Government's plan, which has five years to run.
There were concerns on Monday when NS books showed its personnel number had dropped below 700, to 698. Inquiries revealed that numbers actually stood at 726, but that 28 personnel were in the Joint Induction Training Centre at Gormanston, so were temporarily on other DF's books.
They are expected to return in two weeks. It does mean for those two weeks they are not available for operational sea duties.
It is further understood that an additional 28 Navy personnel – which are not included in the 726 figure - are either serving overseas or in Joint appointments across the DF.
One DF source said the figures can be a bit confusing as personnel can temporarily be under books of other services in the DF, but that numbers are increasing, albeit slowly.
Official figures show that NS strength fell steadily in the last five years: 902 in 2020; 875 in 2021; 798 in 2022; 725 in 2023, hitting 719 in 2024.
Last year was the first time since 2019 when more people were inducted into the NS than were discharged (97 inducted; 75 discharged), halting the haemorrhage from the service. So far in 2025, a further 37 personnel have been inducted and are set to begin training in two weeks.
Former Army Ranger and ex-TD for Kildare, Cathal Berry, said: 'Things in the NS are starting to creep in the right direction. The increase is not as fast as we would like; really we need to get to the stage of 100-plus net increase per year.'
He said neglect had created a 'spiral' in the NS, with numbers falling dramatically in just a few years, with a lack of instructors an issue. Mr Berry said it was encouraging to have general recruits, but said the retention of skilled, experienced staff was essential.
He said the Defence Forces suffered a key issue in not having a full-time dedicated minister of defence or an empowered minister of state.
'Every EU country, bar Malta, has a full-time minister for defence, because it's an area that requires active supervision every day,' he said.
Under LOA2, the Commission on the Defence Forces recommended that the fleet be increased to nine ships by 2030 and be double crewed, to allow for regular deployment and boost patrol days.
In order to achieve these aims, it estimated that 'some 700 naval personnel at an estimated annual cost of €35m' would be required.
It also called for "a minimum establishment' of 400 personnel for the NS Reserve.
