Officials in the Department of Defence have been instructed to enter into discussions with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown council to secure berthage space in Dún Laoghaire harbour.
Local Fine Gael TD and Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill welcomed the announcement, saying it was the “first step” toward an east coast naval base.
“We urgently need an east coast naval presence to secure our future against drug gangs and other nefarious actors not acting in Ireland’s interests,” she said.
“Since the Report of the Commission on Defence Forces was published in 2022 called for an East Coast Naval Base, I have been actively advocating for it to be in Dún Laoghaire, as a TD in the Dáil, as Minister of State at the Department of Finance and more recently since my appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Defence.”
“Since my appointment to Defence in April, I have been working closely with local authority officials in Dún Laoghaire and colleagues across Government to secure a base in Dún Laoghaire.”
“This move is important to securing Ireland’s future with a strongly defended east coast, as well as being a huge boost to Dún Laoghaire,” she said.
The commission follows in the wake of €1.35 billion of defence funding being announced in the Budget.
The securing of berthage in Dún Laoghaire will support the operational activity of the recently commissioned Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs), particularly in patrolling the east coast.
In a statement, the Department of Defence said they will engage with the county council to agree on terms for the use of Carlisle Pier over the short term, with a detailed business case currently being developed by the Defence Forces for the longer-term Naval Service presence on the east coast.
The IPVs are tasked with a variety of roles, from fishery protection to maritime surveillance, and other defensive duties.