Mr. Con Hayes:

The licensing process, in which we are not involved, is an issue. The diving licensing process this year has been between the underwater archaeology unit of the Department, Mr. Bemis and the divers who are seeking licences. We have not applied for a licence. It is an open question as to whether we will do so. It is very important that the process be sped up. It is frustrating for divers to organise hiring a ship, which may cost €15,000 or €20,000, arrange for divers from all over the world and get organised, but then find that they still do not know in June or July whether they will receive the licence for which they applied in December. The timing of the licences is an issue. Last year, the process worked quite well and the divers obtained licences within a reasonable timeframe. That may be because the relationship between the divers and the Department has improved and they know one another far better.

Mr. Bemis's intention to gift us the Lusitania has, in some ways, changed the dynamic of the situation because there had been a lot of mistrust between them. With the gifting of the vessel to the Old Head Signal Tower Heritage CLG/Lusitania Museum, it is to be hoped that there will be a different perception such that this is seen as a national treasure. That is how it should be regarded. We would welcome anything the committee can do to push the message that this is a national treasure and that we need to do something about it. The licensing is one aspect that could be addressed.

I do not know what influence the committee has on the funding we receive. We would love it if the Department were to give us €10 million to look after the Lusitania, but the committee will not easily persuade it to do so. As the Senator stated, a local community group can do things that even Governments may not be able to because we are on the ground, we know what has to be done and we are willing to do it. If we do not have the expertise, we find it and keep the project moving. We are singularly focused on what we are doing. Any help the committee can provide would be more than welcome, beginning with positivity and getting the message across.

It would be fantastic if the committee could find a way to honour Mr. Bemis because he has done remarkable work in keeping this alive. We have been conscious of it on the Old Head for a long time. I began by referring to 1995, which is quite some time ago. It has always been in the consciousness of people on the Old Head that this magnificent liner was torpedoed 12 miles off the coast. Honouring Mr. Bemis would be a very good first move. For that to be done in an effective manner, a licence should be issued to investigate the cause of the second explosion, which caused the ship to sink. Mr. Bemis would consider that very important. He would probably not accept an honorary award recognition without a furtherance of the examination of the ship. He discussed it with the Minister and the Department because it would involve cutting plates out of one side and going in while it is still structurally sound to investigate the interior of the forward part of the ship, where the explosions that sank it occurred. That kind of information is necessary to complete the historical record of exactly what happened to the Lusitania. Can the facts be established without such an investigation?