Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 27 May 2021

Public Accounts Committee

2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport

9:30 am

Mr. Eugene Clonan:

I could not agree more with the Deputy. We have a building programme. There are 11 buildings on the list and we have 44. We normally get a new building across the line every two to three years. It started approximately ten years ago. We have a methodology and are going through the scope. Where we do not have adequate resources, which are some of the rocket houses, including the house in Cleggan, we have put in temporary facilities. If we cannot get the temporary facilities in due to the leasing of land or whatever, we have to make arrangements with local hotels for such facilities, where they can do their training. That is what we are trying to do and I assure the Deputy that we are very much on top of the building programme and in touch with our volunteers on the coast. After all, these are the people who risk their lives and we support them with training.