Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

According to the legal advice I have received, the Irish Coast Guard has not been placed on the same statutory footing as other emergency services. This is driving the concerns and fears of communities which did not emerge from thin air. I pay tribute to the work done by Irish Coast Guard volunteers. In times of emergency their voluntary efforts are critical and sometimes save lives. I acknowledge the Minister's statement that he would be willing to place the Irish Coast Guard on a stronger statutory footing if he believed it were necessary to do so. How do we go about convincing him that this is necessary, given that members of the Irish Coast Guard believe it is?

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