Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising a problem that is very current in County Clare and about which he is extremely concerned.

First, I praise the volunteer members of the Coast Guard who undertake such vital work in support of safe use of our coastline and coastal waters. Kilkee Coast Guard station is the unit which experienced the tragic loss of Caitríona Lucas's life, as mentioned by the Deputy, on 12 September 2016 during a search-and-recovery mission conducted by means of boat and shoreline searches off the Clare coast. The circumstances leading to the loss of life are under investigation by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board and the Health and Safety Authority, and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the incident until such time as the investigations have reached a conclusion.

Coast Guard units comprise three types, namely, search only or different combinations of search, cliff and-or boat, depending on requirements for local geographic terrain. Originally, a search-only unit, Kilkee Coast Guard unit, was categorised as a search-and-boat unit in 2013 following its assumption of the service previously provided by the Kilkee marine rescue service. Since the accident, in the interests of ensuring the immediate safety of Kilkee volunteers, the unit has been restricted to shoreline searches and inshore boat searches using a soft inflatable rescue boat known as a D-class lifeboat. This is to allow time for the training of new crews and for existing members to be recertified to a sufficient standard to operate the more complex rigid inflatable boats, RIBs, which can venture further out to sea or into more challenging conditions. I can understand why people may feel frustrated by this but I hope the Deputy will also understand the reasons it is being done.

In the meantime, the area normally covered by the Kilkee unit is covered by various other units. There is the Doolin unit directly to the north, the Kilrush RNLI lifeboat inside the mouth of the Shannon, the Aran Islands all-weather lifeboat and the Ballybunion community rescue boat unit directly to the south. Search and rescue coverage is also provided by the Coast Guard's helicopter service, including the helicopter based at Shannon Airport. The restriction on the operation of the larger RIB will be lifted when the crew have attained the necessary team and individual competencies and when the unit has passed an operational readiness audit. I hope it will be done with haste but with care and prudence as well. All Coast Guard units must pass such audits regularly to remain operational. As it takes time for crew to gain the necessary experience and competencies to reach the standard required, this is a process that cannot and will not be rushed.

I am mindful of the fact, as reported in the media and articulated by the Deputy, that there have been some concerns voiced in Kilkee about the capabilities of the unit, and I wish to reassure the House that a full safe RIB service will be restored when the unit is ready but not beforehand. In the interim, the safety of our volunteers remains of prime importance and Kilkee Coast Guard unit continues to serve its community as a search unit and as a boat rescue service using its D-class rescue boat.

I take this opportunity to clarify the role of the Coast Guard, which is a division of my Department, in the management of volunteer units and issues that naturally arise from time to time within a cohort of over 900 highly motivated volunteers. A code of conduct is in place that clearly sets out who does what at a local level and, where issues or grievances arise, how these are managed and what appeal procedures are available. I have made it clear in answer to parliamentary questions that it is not appropriate for me as Minister to intervene in such matters.

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