Department of Marine officials have claimed the Naval Service is beginning to succeed in curtailing illegal fishing.
Protecting fish stocks in Irish waters costs the taxpayer about £30 million a year, while the EU is contributing £2.4 million a year, the officials have said. While the EU, which claims all Irish waters are a common EU asset, gave £17.5 million towards equipment to survey and protect the area, this was not enough to purchase one extra naval vessel.
Detentions of vessels have dropped by a third in the past five years, proving the Naval Service was dealing with illegal fishing, said a Department spokesman.