Ms Deirdre O'Keeffe:

The Senator asked me to characterise the relationship or how the volunteer units work and are perceived at central level. I need to be clear about this. The volunteers are the backbone of the service that is delivered by the Irish Coast Guard around the Irish coast. These are 900 or so people who give up their time selflessly to serve people who may find themselves in difficulties, by and large, in the sea or on the coast.