Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The request relating to the Coast Guard ties in with the report on the tragic accident that befell Rescue 116. I previously dealt with senior management in the Coast Guard about the stations at Malin Head and Valentia Island and a previous draft report, referred to as the Feron report, which contained scathing criticism of senior management in the Irish Coast Guard service was uncovered by the community group in Valentia. That report went to senior management in the Coast Guard and all of the criticism of senior management was taken out of the report. The final report that went to the relevant Minister at the time, Deputy Varadkar, contained no criticism of senior management. It should be borne in mind that this was years ago. That was a second attempt to close the stations at Malin Head and Valentia Island by giving false information to a Fianna Fáil Minister, in the first instance, and, subsequently, to a Fine Gael Minister.

There are issues relating to Rescue 116, including the faulty information that it had, rosters and so on in the information we have available to us. I have information about life jackets and have asked for the correspondence without, and within, the Department. My information is that the Coast Guard was aware those jackets were faulty when Coast Guard volunteer, Caitriona Lucas, died in Clare. Senior management was aware that those life jackets were not deploying on impact with water. While that may not have been the reason that lady passed away, the life jacket did not deploy. There are allegations that jackets were changed and the life jacket Ms Lucas was supposed to be wearing was not the one she was wearing. I take all of that with a pinch of salt but, on top of that, there were questions about the procurement of lifeboats of questionable origin and over the use of cars and jeeps.

The Feron report, although not an official report, said senior management was critically flawed. Everything that has happened since should be considered in the light of that draft report stating how bad senior management in the Coast Guard was. That report dates back to 2007. Looking at everything that has happened since, the original report was correct and the senior management in the Coast Guard is costing lives, as we saw with the tragedy of Rescue 116 and the life jacket of Caitriona Lucas. I have asked for the correspondence because my information is that there was a lot of stuff going on about the procurement of equipment by senior management who were also at the back end of the companies that were supplying that equipment. That is secondary to the fact that people are losing their lives.

When the report into Rescue 116 is available, the whole senior management of the Coast Guard and the Secretary General or assistant secretary should be brought before the committee and asked about those life jackets. We also want to know about the procurement process for the life jackets because concerns were raised prior to their purchase. I want to put to those representatives that there was a reason they purchased those life jackets and we should be concerned about that, even though they are only allegations. We should try and get to the bottom of that so I ask members of the committee that when the report on the tragedy of Rescue 116 is available - and please God it will be available before a general election - we bring the whole lot of them in on all of those issues, including Rescue 116, life jackets and-----