Editing Irish Naval Service (section)

==== 1971-1989 ====

The 1970s was a time of expansion for the Naval Service as several locally built ships were added to the fleet. In 1971, the Naval Service commissioned Verolme Cork Dockyard to build an offshore patrol ship. Named {{ship|LÉ|Deirdre|P20|6}}, it was the first naval vessel purpose-built in Ireland to patrol its waters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.military.ie/Main%20Section%20Pages/Weapons%26Equipment/Navy/navy_2.htm|website=defence.ie|title=Weapons & Equipment - Naval Service|access-date=3 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991003125220/https://www.military.ie/Main%20Section%20Pages/Weapons%26Equipment/Navy/navy_2.htm|archive-date=3 October 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1970-12-16/146/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Questions. Oral Answers. - All-Weather Fishing Protection Vessels. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Wednesday, 16 December 1970)|date=16 December 1970|access-date=3 March 2025}}</ref>

[[File:The LE "Deirdre" at Dun Loaghaire - geograph.org.uk - 626538.jpg|thumb|LÉ ''Deirdre'', the first purpose-built ship commissioned by the Irish Naval Service]]

Since independence, Ireland's [[territorial waters]] were limited to {{convert|3|nmi|km}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1959/act/22/section/3/enacted/en/html#sec3|title=Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 1959, Section 3|access-date=5 March 2025|publisher=[[Attorney General of Ireland]]}}</ref>
In 1964, her territorial waters were extended to {{convert|12|nmi|km}} increasing her maritime area to {{cvt|41000|km2|sqmi}}.<ref name="statute-1964">{{cite web|url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1964/act/32/section/2/enacted/en/html#sec2|title=Maritime Jurisdiction (Amendment) Act, 1964, Section 2|access-date=5 March 2025|publisher=[[Attorney General of Ireland]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://oar.marine.ie/bitstream/handle/10793/30/Atlas%20of%20the%20Commercial%20Fisheries%20Around%20Ireland%2009.pdf;sequence=1|title=Atlas of the Commercial Fisheries Around Ireland|website=marine.ie|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref>
In 1976, Ireland's [[exclusive economic zone#Ireland|exclusive economic zone]] was extended out to {{convert|200|nmi|km}}, increasing her maritime area to {{cvt|450000|km2|sqmi}}.<ref name="statute-1976">{{cite web|url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1976/si/320/made/en/print|title=S.I. No. 320/1976 - Maritime Jurisdiction (Exclusive Fishery Limits) Order, 1976.|access-date=5 March 2025|publisher=[[Attorney General of Ireland]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-12-01/26/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Questions. Oral Answers. - Fishery Limits. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Tuesday, 1 December 1976)|date=1 December 1976|access-date=5 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://marine-ireland.ie/strengths/marine|website=marine-ireland.ie|title=Marine Strengths|access-date=5 March 2025}}</ref> The increased maritime area required additional patrol vessels, and Ireland was granted funding from the [[European Economic Community]] to increase the Naval Service fleet.<ref name="history3"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ireland.representation.ec.europa.eu/strategy-and-priorities/key-eu-policies-ireland/fisheries-ireland_en|title=Fisheries in Ireland|website=ec.europa.eu|date=31 May 2024|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref> Between 1977 to 1982 inclusive, Ireland received IR£31 million from the EEC to purchase ships and aircraft for fishery protection.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1983-11-16/51/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Written Answers. - EEC Funds. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Wednesday, 16 November 1983)|date=16 November 1983|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref>

LÉ ''Deirdre'' was the prototype for three further offshore patrol vessels built by Verolme,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.military.ie/naval-service/fleet/offshore-patrol-vessel|website=defence.ie|title=You are here: Naval Service > Fleet > Offshore Patrol Vessel|access-date=3 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508022509/https://www.military.ie/naval-service/fleet/offshore-patrol-vessel|archive-date=8 May 2012}}</ref><ref name="osprey36"/> which were {{ship|LÉ|Emer|P21|6}} (1978),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1974-04-02/4/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Questions. Oral Answers. - Naval Service. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Tuesday, 2 April 1974)|date=2 April 1974|access-date=3 March 2025}}</ref> 
{{ship|LÉ|Aoife|P22|6}} (1979),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1978-02-28/28/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Vote 46: Defence (Dáil Éireann Debate – Tuesday, 28 February 1978)|date=28 February 1978|access-date=3 March 2025}}</ref> and {{ship|LÉ|Aisling|P23|6}} (1980).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://digital.jmpublishing.ie/i/1395581-an-cosant%C3%B3ir-july-august-2021/49|title=The Fate of the PV's|publisher=jmpublishing.ie|date=July 2021|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref>

[[File:Irish Naval Service recovering bodies from the Air India Flight 182 disaster.jpg|thumb|Naval Service personnel remove the body of a victim of [[Air India Flight 182]] from [[LÉ Aisling (P23)|LÉ ''Aisling'']] which was sent to search for survivors on 23 June 1985]]

In 1980, the government planned to acquire two helicopter carriers from Verolme.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1980-03-20/27/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Written Answers. - Naval Service. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Thursday, 20 March 1980)|date=20 March 1980|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1980-12-17/20/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Questions. Oral Answers. - Naval Service. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Thursday, 17 December 1980)|date=17 December 1980|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref> However, due to design delays<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1981-01-28/56/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Written Answers. - Naval Patrol Vessels. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Wednesday, 28 January 1981)|date=28 January 1981|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref> the first ship was not ordered until April 1982 with delivery expected twenty four months later.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1983-01-26/77/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Written Answers. - Naval Service. (Dáil Éireann Debate – Wednesday, 26 January 1983|date=26 January 1983|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref> {{ship|LÉ|Eithne|P31|6}} entered service in December 1984, and two [[Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin|Dauphin]] helicopters were acquired to operate with her.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.military.ie/naval-service/fleet/helicopter-patrol-vessel|website=defence.ie|title=You are here: Naval Service > Fleet > Helicopter Patrol Vessel|access-date=11 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508012756/https://www.military.ie/naval-service/fleet/helicopter-patrol-vessel|archive-date=8 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.military.ie/aircorps/dauphin.htm|title=Aircraft - Aerospatiale SA.365F Dauphin II|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051124114030/http://www.military.ie/aircorps/dauphin.htm|website=military.ie|archive-date=24 November 2005|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref> In 1986, L.É. ''Eithne'' became the first Irish naval ship to cross the Atlantic. The closure of the Verolme dockyard in 1984 due to poor management and low worker productivity prevented the sister ship to Eithne being ordered.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1984-11-28/27/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Private Members' Business. - Verolme Cork Dockyard: Motion (Resumed). (Dáil Éireann Debate – Wednesday, 28 November 1984)|date=28 November 1984|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20253703.html|title=Dockyard's fate was sealed a year before its closure|website=irishexaminer.com|date=28 December 2013|access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref>

Meanwhile, ''Isolda'' was acquired in 1977 from the [[Commissioners of Irish Lights]]. Renamed {{ship|LÉ|Setanta|A15}}, she served as a [[training ship]] until 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/1008/822265-new-irish-navy-training-ship/|website=rte.ie|title=Isolde Becomes Setanta|access-date=18 March 2025}}</ref> A Danish stern trawler ''Helen Basse'' was leased for a year in 1977 as the {{ship|LÉ|Ferdia|A16}}.<ref name="history4"/> By the 1980s, the three minesweepers were showing their age and were withdrawn from service by 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1988-10-27/3/|publisher=Dáil Éireann Hansard|title=Estimates for Public Services 1989, and Public Capital Programme, 1989: Motion (Resumed). (Dáil Éireann Debate – Thursday, 27 October 1988)|date=27 October 1988|access-date=13 March 2025}}</ref> As replacements, in 1988 the government purchased two {{sclass|Peacock|patrol vessel}}s from the [[Royal Navy]]'s Hong Kong Squadron, which were renamed {{ship|LÉ|Orla|P41|6}} and {{ship|LÉ|Ciara|P42|6}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.military.ie/naval-service/fleet/coastal-patrol-vessel|website=defence.ie|title=You are here: Naval Service > History > Coastal Patrol Vessel|access-date=13 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508011444/https://www.military.ie/naval-service/fleet/coastal-patrol-vessel|archive-date=8 May 2012}}</ref> The 50th anniversary of the Irish Naval Service took place in 1996, which included a fleet review by President [[Mary Robinson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/0706/800540-irish-naval-service-50th-anniversary/|publisher=RTÉ|website=rte.ie|title=RTÉ Archives - Saluting 50 Years Of The Irish Navy (1996)|accessdate=3 December 2022}}</ref>