Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will confirm that officers at other coast guard stations will not be transferred to Dublin coast guard radio to fill the positions that will be vacant arising from impending retirements at Dublin coast guard radio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34525/10]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Transport, further to Parliamentary Question No. 350 of 8 July 2010, when the new communications system at Malin, Valentia and Dublin coast guard stations will be installed and operational; if there are plans to transfer any staff from any of these coast guard stations to the Dublin station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34526/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.

In relation to the impending retirements of staff at Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin, every effort will be made to fill vacancies at the earliest possible date. It remains the practice for Coast Guard management to transfer staff between the stations on a temporary basis to address operational requirements, including in relation to the provision of staff, where they consider this necessary.

In relation to the new communications system at the three rescue co-ordination centres, refurbishment works are well advanced in the MRCC in Dublin. The testing of the installed Integrated Communications System (ICS) and the training for the staff are also well advanced. The ICS is expected to be live in Dublin in November next. The dual operation of the new and old equipment will last for about a month, after which the refurbished Dublin centre will go live.

The equipment for Malin and Valentia MRSCs has been delivered. In order to quickly activate the new ICS equipment in Malin, it will be installed in a nearby site on Crockalough late 2010/early 2011 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 re-installed there. It will be necessary to close Malin for a number of 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. The Office of Public Works is currently scoping the scale of the work needed.