Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 200: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of the coast guard and other emergency services to meet requirements in all eventualities with particular reference to surveillance and air or sea rescue missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14541/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Coast Guard co-ordinates a multi-disciplinary approach in undertaking search and rescue operations. It has available to it a range of service providers and assets, including the National Maritime Operations Centre in Dublin and sub-centres in Malin and Valentia, fifty volunteer Units located mainly around the coast, contracted search and rescue (SAR) helicopters, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and community rescue boat teams, air mobile fire and ambulance teams and a variety of other resources. I am satisfied that the approach taken in Ireland is on a par with other air sea rescue organisations throughout Europe.

Despite the current difficult financial climate continuous improvements are being made to our search and rescue services. These improvements include the upgrade to the Coast Guard's boat and vehicle fleet, the recent opening of a new Station House on Achill Island and two further Station Houses to open in Crosshaven and Goleen, Co Cork in 2012, and during 2012 and 2013 the introduction of a new generation of Search and Rescue helicopters to replace the existing 40 year old fleet.

The issue of surveillance is to be addressed by my Department chairing an inter-departmental group at Assistant Secretary level which includes the Defence Forces, Customs Service, An Garda Síochána, Commissioners of Irish Lights, Marine Institute and others. A work programme is expected to progress this matter in tandem with the EU's Common Information Sharing Environment project in 2012