Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Transport if Malin Head Coast Guard station, County Donegal, will close for the installation of new equipment; the length of time that the station will be closed; when it will close and re-open; when the new communications system at Malin, Valentia and Dublin will be installed and operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31662/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Refurbishment works are well advanced in the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The testing of the installed Integrated Communications System (ICS) and the training for MRCC staff is also well advanced. The ICS system is expected to be live in Dublin by the end of July. The dual operation of the new and old equipment will last for at least a four-week period, after which the refurbished Dublin MRCC will be fully functional.

The equipment for Malin and Valentia Marine Rescue Coordination Sub Centres has been delivered. In order to quickly activate the new ICS equipment in Malin it will be installed in a nearby site on Crockalough in late 2010 and thereafter linked to the Malin station.

When the new building on the Malin site is completed in 2014, subject to funding, the ICS equipment will be reinstalled there. It will be necessary to close Malin for three to four weeks in 2011 to facilitate swapping over the equipment and clearing out the Operations Room.

In Valentia, the existing buildings will be adapted to accommodate the ICS equipment in 2011. The scale of the work needed is currently being scoped by the OPW.