Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support Deputy Munster on this matter. We have 950 volunteers and 43 units in the Irish Coast Guard. In County Louth, we have Coast Guard units in Greenore, Clogherhead and Drogheda. One volunteer told me in an email:

Using blue lights and sirens is for a good reason. Now, though, it appears that if we are making our way to a call, we will have just sit in traffic and pray we get there in time.

Blue lights can be used by the service’s counterpart in England. It baffles me as to why their use here has been withdrawn. The decision needs to be reviewed. These volunteers are responding to life-and-death calls. The importance of getting to a scene on time means the lights and sirens should be available to them to use.

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