Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 434: To ask the Minister for Transport the level of coast guard, air and sea rescue services; the concerns which have been brought to his attention regarding such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32944/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Coast Guard of my Department has responsibility for the provision of Ireland's air and sea rescue services. Search and Rescue (SAR) services in Ireland are provided through a combination of Irish Coast Guard Emergency Services and services provided by a number of charitable and voluntary organisations dedicated to SAR.

The principal air and sea rescue resources in Ireland are the three manned Coast Guard Rescue Co-ordination centres, the 4 24-hour all-weather helicopters based at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo Airports, the 54 coast-wide Coast Guard Units, 34 RNLI Lifeboat Stations and the 11 Community Rescue Boat Ireland services.

The Coast Guard co-ordinates search and rescue operations, including those services provided by charitable and voluntary bodies. It also ensures that appropriate personnel, training, equipment and facilities are in place among its many declared resources. The three Coast Guard Rescue Co-ordination Centres, at Dublin, Malin Head and Valentia, and a nation-wide communications network are positioned and equipped to receive distress calls and co-ordinate response to incidents on land, around the coastline and sea areas within its areas of responsibility for search and rescue and casualty and pollution response.

While there are always concerns and challenges in the management of the SAR and pollution prevention services, I am satisfied that the Coast Guard continues to change and adapt, not least by undertaking on-going training and re-equipping, to be able to adequately maintain the services.