Irish Naval Service

The Naval Service (Irish: an tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh) is the maritime component of the Defence Forces of Ireland and is one of the three branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its base is in Haulbowline, County Cork.

Though preceded by earlier maritime defence organisations, the Naval Service was formed in 1946. Since the 1970s a major role of the Naval Service has been the provision of fisheries protection in Ireland's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Other roles include sea patrol, surveillance, and smuggling prevention. Occasionally the Service undertakes longer missions in support of other elements of the Defence Forces, Irish peacekeepers serving with the United Nations, or humanitarian and trade missions.

LÉ Eithne is the current flagship of the Naval Service.

List of ships

 * Eithne-class Patrol Vessel (1) - 1984
 * LÉ Eithne (P31)
 * Peacock-class Coastal Patrol Vessel (2) - 1988
 * LÉ Orla (P41) - former HMS Swift (P243)
 * LÉ Ciara (P42) - former HMS Swallow (P242)
 * Róisín-class Large Patrol Vessel (2) - 1999
 * LÉ Róisín (P51)
 * LÉ Niamh (P52)
 * Samuel Beckett-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (3, 1 UC) - 2014
 * LÉ Samuel Beckett (P61)
 * LÉ James Joyce (P62)
 * LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63)
 * LÉ George Bernard Shaw (P64) - under construction