The Naval Service patrol ship LE Ciarahas been cleared to return to sea, following repairs to a hole in its hull.
The high-speed ship is the latest in a series of vessels in the fleet which have required substantial repair due to a combination of age and rough Atlantic conditions.
The oldest ships, the LE Emer, Aoifeand Aisling, have all suffered plate erosion due mainly to age. The service is due to received two new ships at €50 million each, which will be commissioned in 2014 and 2015, under a deal with British shipbuilder Babcock Marine.