Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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177. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a total breakdown of spend on Coast Guard equipment and infrastructure for the years 2011, 2012, 2013 in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18222/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Coast Guard is part of the Irish Maritime Administration in my Department and is responsible for the operation of the marine rescue co-ordination centre in Malin Head and four Volunteer Coast Guard stations in Killybegs, Bunbeg, Mulroy and Greencastle. Two significant Coast Guard equipment/infrastructure projects in County Donegal have been completed in the years the Deputy refers to.

In 2011 the Malin Head co-ordination centre was extensively renovated, which included construction works and the upgrading of technological equipment costing €152,300. There was also additional investment of some €40,000 for an equipment cabin and €553,000 for technological equipment located in the Malin Head station to upgrade the wider Coast Guard national communications network to integrated digital technology.

In 2012 construction work commenced on a new Coast Guard station at Killybegs. I officially opened the new purpose built station on 28 March 2014. The total cost for the completion of this project was over €1.570m.

During the period some €956,000 was invested in provision of four new rescue boats (RIBs), one for each of the Donegal Coast Guard volunteer units. Three tractors for launch and recovery of the RIBs costing a total of €145,000 were provided, €116,000 was invested in vans for transportation of cliff rescue equipment and a further €25,000 was provided to replace a 4x4 wheel vehicle.

This expenditure identified above is in addition to the routine operating costs associated with servicing, equipping and training approximately 100 Coast Guard volunteers who operate the four Coast Guard stations in Donegal.