asked the Minister for Justice if he will arrange that members of civilian sub-aqua clubs, whose services are requisitioned by the Garda Síochána are indemnified by the State.
Written Answers. - Indemnification of Sub-Aqua Club Members.
296.
I understand that the Irish Underwater Council, acting on behalf of civilian sub-aqua clubs, have been having discussions with the Irish Water Safety Association, who operate under the aegis of the Department of the Environment about the question of financial aid and insurance cover for members of civilian sub-aqua clubs who take part on a voluntary basis in search and recovery operations for victims of drowning tragedies.
It is preferable, both in principle and in practice, that the matter should be dealt with in this wider context rather than in the narrower context of cases where requests or appeals may be made by the Garda because the Garda are themselves often involved only on humanitarian grounds and not because a crime has or may have been committed. In other words, the Garda in many cases are themselves volunteers and I would have no responsibility for expenses incurred by other groups. If, when the wider question has been settled, there is any residual problem about the requisition of services for official Garda purposes, the Deputy may take it that it will be dealt with but there is no reason to expect that there will be any such problem.