Dáil debates

Thursday, 15 February 2018

3:45 pm

Photo of Michael HartyMichael Harty (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The issue I raise is marine safety and marine rescue services at Kilkee, a popular seaside resort in County Clare. This is an important issue for those who use coastal waters and those who operate marine rescue and recovery services.

These are essential services and a vital component for those who make a living from fishing off our coast, those who engage in recreational activities and our tourism industry. Water users must be confident that, should they get into difficulty, there are marine rescue services suitable for putting to sea with proper equipment, local knowledge and training in order to competently engage in sea rescue and search and rescue when required, because, unfortunately, many people are recovered from coastal waters who have drowned by accident or suicide.

Kilkee is suffering from structural, operational and funding issues in the supply of marine sea rescue services. Historically, the service in Kilkee was voluntary. Started in 1981, it filled a gap in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, RNLI, service between Valentia and Galway. In addition to the surface rescue provided at Kilkee, there was also diving recovery because it had a diving centre. The funding of the service was voluntary until 2012 but voluntary subscriptions were very difficult to come by, particularly during the recession. The Irish Coast Guard agreed to take over the running of the service in 2013 but many of the volunteers, with their experience and local knowledge, were not taken on the rota. The number of people involved dropped from 26 to 12. All reference to Kilkee maritime rescue services were removed from the buildings. Former President Hillary unveiled a plaque commemorating and acknowledging the activities of marine service in a voluntary capacity but it was removed.

There was a tragic loss of life in September 2016 when a Coast Guard volunteer was drowned off the coast near Kilkee. There is an ongoing investigation to try to understand the circumstances of that tragic accident. It is being carried out by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board and the Health and Safety Authority. Since the incident, there has not been a full Coast Guard rescue service at Kilkee, which is very unsatisfactory because it is a very busy maritime centre, especially during the summer. In January, a Hungarian man got into difficulties and later died. The Coast Guard was not able to assist the rescue on the water and could only assist on land. I understand that two vessels are located at Kilkee, with one having limited range and capability and the other not fully operational. There was no water-based rescue and a helicopter had to come from Shannon to engage in the operation. Unfortunately, the man died.

Local fishermen and tourists are very apprehensive about putting to sea without having proper Coast Guard rescue back-up. The Coast Guard is made up of professional rescuers and volunteers who must have local knowledge and expertise in the locality. This is the difficulty that is arising regarding the Coast Guard service at Kilkee. I ask the Minister and his Department to intervene and bring about a satisfactory solution so as to restore full rescue services based at Kilkee. He must ensure that these services are of the highest quality.

3:55 pm

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | 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.

Photo of Michael HartyMichael Harty (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Minister knows, just having shore-based activity is not sufficient to supply a rescue service in a seaside resort like Kilkee. Kilkee has a small population in winter. In the summer, however, the number of people there can rise to 25,000. These individuals avail of the sea-based activities on offer in Kilkee, which is a major tourist attraction. Not having proper sea rescue services is completely unacceptable.

The Minister indicates that the rescue services are covered by other units. Kilrush is a substantial distance away and one must go down the coast, around Loop Head and down the estuary to get there. Doolin is also some distance away. The Minister knows that sea rescue is an immediate requirement and not something that can be delayed for a number of hours so boats can come from other areas or the rescue helicopter can come from Shannon. These are of course essential components but there should be a sea-based rescue service in Kilkee. There were six incidents last year where no sea rescue was available from the Coast Guard. As a result, boats from the diving centre and recreational boats had to go to the assistance of those in difficulty. That is unacceptable.

We must take into account the fact that there is already expertise in the area. These are the voluntary members who were part of the Kilkee marine rescue service and they are still available. They are very anxious to provide a sea rescue service and participate in the coastguard service. There seems to be a difficulty with taking on these volunteers and availing of their expertise and local knowledge, which is critical in any sea rescue. The Minister should put pressure on the Coast Guard to provide a sea-based rescue service before the onset of the forthcoming holiday season, when so many people will come to Kilkee and use the facilities there but for whom such a service will not be provided.

4:05 pm

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | 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.