Irish Navy cancelled patrols almost every second day in January as more staff quit

The Irish Navy had to cancel patrols almost every second day last month as more staff members quit the service.

It cancelled 12 patrols from January 1 to January 26, blaming staff shortages and the bad weather.

But it now only has four ships to patrol the biggest sea area in the EU after two more vessels, the LE Niamh and the LE Roisin were taken out of service and put into storage, one of them for a refit. It had nine ships 18 months ago.