Irish Navy eschews the White Ensign again

The Republic of Ireland’s Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel, the L.É. Aisling, flew the southern Naval jack at its bow and the tricolour at its stern whilst alongside at Meadowbank.

Earlier this year DUP MP Gregory Campbell questioned why the L.É Emer didn’t fly the White Ensign of the Royal Navy whilst alongside here during the Return of Colmcille pageant.

But a spokesperson for the Irish Navy told the Sentinel it was not the custom for the Irish Navy to do so.

He told the Sentinel: “It is not the established custom for warships to fly the flag of the host nations navy when visiting another jurisdiction. Hence the white ensign was not flown.”

Danny Kennedy, the Minister who was responsible for “the protocols on flags flown on ships, when naval ships from other nations are docked in ports in connection with events such as the Columcille Festival 2013” said: “The Royal Navy are able to offer advice on the flag protocols for naval ships from other nations when berthed in UK ports.”

According to the MoD’s standards, flags and colours protocol, foreign warships visiting the UK may, if they wish, fly a courtesy flag. The MoD says the correct flag for a warship should be the White Ensign - never the Union Flag.

The ship currently in port detained a Spanish registered fishing vessel approximately 80 nautical miles South of Baltimore Bay in County Cork ten days ago (October 12).

The detention was in relation to an alleged technical breach of fishing regulations.

The vessel was being escorted by the to Castletownbere, where it was handed over to An Gardaí Síochána.

It brought to 840 the number of vessels boarded by the Naval Service in 2013. It was the 9th vessel detained by the Naval Service in 2013.