Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I second the motion by Senator Craughwell to the effect that the Minister should come before the House. I wish to express my sympathy and condolences to the families and friends of the three people, Clare O'Neill, Fintan Goss and Michael Pyke, who lost their lives yesterday. I thank the emergency services who attended any of the incidents yesterday for all the great work they did. I acknowledge and thank all the neighbours, friends and people who checked in on the vulnerable and the elderly, not least those doing home help and care work right across the country. They showed the true Irish spirit in the work they carried out in very difficult circumstances. I particularly thank the regional radio stations, in my own case Midwest Radio, which kept people up to date on everything that was happening throughout the day and about the services that were available through the local authorities and so on. It really goes to show the importance of local radio and how the sector should be supported.

I really cannot find words to condemn those who, by their own arrogance, misdemeanours and actions, put the lives of emergency service personnel at risk. It was particularly poignant for us in Erris when the R116 crew had to be called out. I cannot imagine what the families of those who were bereaved in the R116 tragedy must have thought yesterday as these services had to be called out in Blackrock, County Louth. The attempts today by those persons to try to defend their actions are even worse, as if they somehow have real and knowledgeable expertise of the sea. I did not see any fishermen putting out to sea yesterday. If anybody has knowledge of the sea and what it is about, then it is the fishermen in our coastal communities. Something must be done to ensure that people do not declare themselves to be above the law or not within it when a national emergency such as this is called. I call for legislation to be put in place in order that huge fines might be imposed on people who put the lives of others at risk.