Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of the standing down of the Doolin Coast Guard unit yesterday by the national Coast Guard. To say that it caused shock throughout County Clare and the mid-west would be an understatement. In fact, it caused very considerable shock throughout the country because there is little doubt that the Doolin Coast Guard is probably one of the best known units in the country. It is known nationally and internationally. Its volunteers have put to sea in the most hazardous conditions and carried out search, rescue and recovery missions 365 days a year, both day and night. It is probably one of the busiest stations in the country and, sadly, much of its work involves the recovery of loved ones who have departed through suicide from the Cliffs of Moher. The work is arduous and difficult.

It appears that some HR issues are at the core of this decision, but such issues are in every organisation and office in the country. It is very unfortunate that matters have been allowed to reach a point where this has now happened. The people who depend on the service and those who work in it deserve better. I call on the Minister to come before the House at the earliest opportunity to set out a path to the reinstatement of this service. It cannot be allowed to go on for a protracted period. We have waited five years for the publication of an investigation into the death of one of its volunteers, Caitríona Lucas. That is a very long time and should never have been allowed to happen. We need to bring closure to this issue and see the service reinstated. I am not suggesting there are not issues that have to be resolved, but the operational management of the Coast Guard is there to ensure that issues like this are brought to a head.

I will draw the House's attention to another matter, which is the recent media reports of anti-social behaviour on public transport. It has been well documented and many examples of it have been quoted on a regular basis by random journalists who have seen these matters taking place and have reported on them. The National Bus and Rail Union is now balloting members on what should, and needs to, happen. That is a wake-up call to us in the Legislature to call on the Minister for Justice to come to the House to outline the plans her Department and, hopefully, An Garda Síochána, have. The way forward is a dedicated public transport unit within An Garda Síochána. It works well in other countries and would be the appropriate method to address this situation rather than expecting transport companies to establish their own security within the service they provide. The responsibility should rest and remain with An Garda Síochána and form part of a dedicated public transport policing unit.