Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will relay the Senator's concerns to the Minister. To be fair, he states he has only recently been assigned responsibility for this area in A Programme for a Partnership Government. As I noted, the Irish Coast Guard has a suite of options to which it will resort in the event that it is called on to support underwater recovery activities. In the first instance, such activities are the responsibility of An Garda Síochána which has its own diving team. Second, the Naval Service can be requested to act in aid of the civil power using its own diving teams and equipment. Additionally, if circumstances so require, commercial diving companies can be engaged and specialised equipment such as remotely operated underwater vehicles sourced. In some circumstances, it might be the case that the assistance of private citizens or recreational divers who are members of diving clubs might be availed of. However, because of the inherent risks to which I have referred, such assistance must, of necessity, be limited. These activities must be undertaken by properly trained and equipped professionals under appropriate supervision such as members of Naval Service or Garda diving teams.

I acknowledge that some of the equipment used is costly and that the people mentioned are volunteers. Perhaps the Senator might request permission for a delegation to meet the Minister or his officials or she might write to the Chairman of the Oireachtas committee to ask that the matter be discussed. The committee could invite representatives of local or national sub-aqua teams to attend a meeting to engage in a more detailed discussion when it might be possible to achieve all-party consensus on the matter. I was involved in securing a once-off grant for capital infrastructure from the Department under the then Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, for replacement of mountain rescue vehicles. Perhaps that avenue might also be explored.