Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Buttimer's suggestion was very structured. Mine is pretty straightforward but I would like to try the straightforward step first. I believe if people are talking to each other, we can do business. If they are not, we cannot. That is the way the world works.

We had the Irish Coast Guard before us on 18 November last. I want to check one thing I am interested in. We were told at the time there were 900 volunteers. I have no doubt the witnesses have read the transcript and are well prepared. The transcript states:

With the relationship and the industrial relations issues, we have had four disciplinary procedures in place in the past five years for 900 people. Those resulted in no higher than a verbal warning or a written warning. That is for 900 people. We had four dismissals - two this year [which would be 2021] and two last year. The code sets out what is a major infraction [...].

I wanted to check how many dismissals have there been so that, without naming names, we get to the facts of the case. The committee's role is to represent people up and down the country, particularly the public, in terms of the Coast Guard service.

The Coast Guard service is, in the main, provided by volunteers, and we want to assist in that way. Can Mr. O’Mahony just clarify that point for me? How many people have been dismissed?