Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)

I congratulate the Ceann Comhairle on demonstrating his true belief in respect of decentralisation when, in his former ministerial capacity, he relocated the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism to south Kerry. I find it hard to understand why the 17 jobs in Valentia Coast Guard station are being put at risk. For a town such as Killarney that number would represent the equivalent of 250 posts. The 17 staff at Valentia Coast Guard station are consummate professionals. The buildings in which they operate are in perfect working order. I have visited them myself. In 2004 when the Dublin station was decommissioned while asbestos was being removed from the roof, the entire Coast Guard service was run from Malin Head and Valentia. The technology is available and up to date. The Government does not realise what it would mean to an area such as Valentia to lose 17 high end jobs. The children of several of the employees in the Coast Guard station are studying and hope to take up jobs in Valentia down the road. On those grounds, I ask the Minister to reconsider the decision and to take on board the essence of decentralisation by retaining these jobs in Valentia. The jobs should not be centralised to Drogheda, Galway or Ennis. Will the Government row back on this proposal and retain the jobs in Malin Head and Valentia? The 17 jobs on Valentia Island equate to 250 in a large urban town.

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