Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We know that on 14 March 2017, the crew of R116, comprising Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, winch operator Paul Ormsby and winchman Ciarán Smith lost their lives while participating in a rescue off the Mayo coast. This report shows that the loss of their lives was as needless as it was preventable. I choose to say each of their names in the Chamber for two reasons: to honour their service and to remind us that they were four people. They were not just numbers, statistics or collateral damage. They were four sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, and their loved ones are still waiting and watching to see if the Government will take seriously the findings of this report and take action to prevent more preventable deaths.

This was the first time in 25 years, involving over 1,000 investigations, that an AAIU report was referred to the review board. It is one of the most comprehensive inquiries the AAIU has ever done. The review has confirmed that the actions of the four Irish Coast Guard members on board did not contribute to the crash. However, it draws attention to the safety protocols and procedures of the IAA, the Coast Guard, and the helicopter operator, CHC Ireland. The report confirms that the crew did absolutely everything correctly. It shows that several safety devices were not working as they should have been. The locator beacons on their life jackets malfunctioned. Black Rock Island, which the helicopter crashed into, unfortunately, did not appear on their internal navigation system.

When this report was published on 5 November, I immediately heard alarm bells ringing. A few weeks ago, the Irish Coast Guard Volunteers Representative Association commemorated another tragic death of a Coast Guard comrade, Caitríona Lucas. On her anniversary, the volunteer group launched its representative body, comprising current and former volunteers who are united in their concerns over the management and safety procedures of the Coast Guard. They feel their concerns, their fears and, obviously, their voices are not being heard. These are not new issues. There are countless units along our coastline that have had these experiences. Unfortunately, they feel they cannot speak out. The dark irony that volunteers honour the loss of their colleague by launching a platform for the long-ignored cries for help from Irish Coast Guard volunteers is very concerning. If the Minister speaks to these volunteers and listens to them, I can assure him that he will be alarmed by their experiences.

The AAIU report makes more than 40 safety recommendations, and it is imperative that these recommendations are heeded. The report has shown that the loss of these four lives was preventable. It would be a disservice to the tragedy if these recommendations were to be shelved and not implemented. The families of Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith deserve that justice, at the very least. The rescue forces up and down the length and breadth of the country deserve the knowledge that the State is doing everything in its power to protect them.

I remember hearing about the R116 accident. It would send shivers through a heart made of stone. Having been in the Defence Forces, I know the adrenaline that pumps when there is a call for action. Living in County Clare, I know what a central role volunteers, emergency responders and SAR operators have in my county but also beyond it. It is worrying that since I was elected to this House last year, I have been contacted by virtually every one of these groups. They feel undervalued. They all have health and safety concerns. I refer to workers in Shannon Airport, air traffic controllers, lifeguards, Coast Guard personnel and firefighters in the fire and rescue service. Clearly, something is very wrong when the very people who put their lives on the line are undersupported in doing so. These brave people are risking their safety to ensure the safety of others. The very least the State can do is to take them seriously. They are our national treasures. They are our heroes.

I truly hope that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will value and apply the 40 recommendations of this report. If it gathers dust, as has the wisdom of so many other reports, the lives of Dara, Mark, Paul and Ciarán will have been lost in vain, and the State's failure to improve the safety of our rescue workers will be unforgivable.

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