Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am impressed by what the Deputy said. He will understand that the Coast Guard has been active in response to this tragic incident and the Coast Guard has kept a vigilant presence in Kilkee. While the unit was off-service for some time, there has been a process to ease it back incrementally to full operability. Training is ongoing in Kilkee as it is in all Coast Guard units. That said, in cases where extra training is required, as is the case in Kilkee due to the stand-down period after the accident, this is being provided and is ongoing. Search and rescue units do not work in isolation for one specific geographic area but in partnership with other resources in the vicinity. Kilkee and its surroundings are comprehensively served by the Coast Guard helicopter in Shannon, an RNLI lifeboat to Kilrush and Inishmore, a community rescue boat at Ballybunion and Doolin-Ballybunion CGUs. In any task, the Coast Guard's first concern is the safety of our Coast Guard volunteers.

In reference to what Deputy Harty said, if there were six incidents of the sort, I will make fresh inquiries to see whether there is anything we can do to give further necessary cover in the weeks and months ahead while awaiting a permanent solution to the problem.

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