De Valera (1) informed the Dáil (2) what the intentions were of the Defence bill. The ordered torpedo boats were to needed to protect the Irish neutrality and to be used for coastal defence. The Irish territorial waters were not be disabused by warships and submarines of the belligerents. At the moment were aircraft patrolling but they needed support by some warships.(3) The bill was approved by 64 against 50 votes.
Notes
1. Éamon de Valera (14 October 1882 New York-29 August 1975 Dublin). Was president and premier.
2. The Dáil Éireann=the Irish Parliament.
3. In 1939 were two motor torpedo boats from the yard of Vospers ordered followed by an order for another 4, which as result that finally 6 MTB’s were available for what at the end of the Second World War was known as the Irish marine Service. The boats were numbered M1-M6 and all decommissioned in 1948. The website http://www.iol.ie/~mkeniry/Irishnavy.htm claims that the M1 and the M2 were from 1940, the M3-M6 from 1942. The website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Irish_Naval_Service claims that all 6 were available at the end of 1940. The website http://www.military.ie/naval-service/history said that in 1941 6 MTB’s were in service. Jane’s Fighting ships edition 1944/1945 gives the number of 5 MTB’s namely the M1-M5 with as building year 1939. With a displacement of 32 tons were the dimensions 72’ x 16½’ x 3¾”, an armament consisting of 2-21” torpedo tubes, 2 anti aircraft machine guns and depth charge launchers and with 4 Thornycroft petrol engines which supplied 2,600 bhp allowing a speed of 40 knots. Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1922-1946 also just mentioned 5 MTB’s namely the M1-M5 and built in 1939.
