Mr. Bernard Lucas:

It was. The report deemed that parts of the Cliffs of Moher were unsafe. A plan was put in place that, if we had to go out over the Cliffs of Moher, we would park a jeep in the field, chocks would be put on the back of the jeep and we would anchor ropes, attach a harness and go over the fence. However this has never been implemented. The plans are there and the equipment arrived. However, the plan is lost wherever these things go and nothing has ever been implemented.

The case that happened the day before yesterday was very important because, if there had been low fog on that day, the helicopter would not have been able to winch from the top of the Cliffs of Moher. If the fire brigade had been called to a house fire, this casualty would still have been lying, just there, roaring in pain with a broken hip. The three volunteers would not have been able to go to relieve or comfort her or put anything around her hypothermia. I do not know the answer.

We have an area called Aill na Searrach. It is a very steep slope and a goat path runs down along it. Surfers go down and people go down to take pictures. It is quite steep and you would want to have a good head for heights to be able to do it. If anything happens to anybody at the bottom of this path, such as a simple sprained or twisted ankle, there is no mechanism to get that person out of there, with the Doolin team having been stood down. We have the ropes, gear and experience. We have done it many times over the years but, at present, there is nobody to take that person from that position to the top and to safety.