I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I seek permission to share my time with Deputy Enda Kenny.
Adjournment Debate. - Air-Sea Rescue Facilities.
That is satisfactory.
I am sure I am speaking for every Member of the House in offering sympathy and condolence to the bereaved Oglesby family as a result of the tragic occurrence last Friday morning. Mr. John Oglesby is a great loss to his family, to the entire fishing community in Donegal and to the fishing industry. His colleague, Mr. Tom Rodin, was injured in the incident on Friday morning and he is ill in Sligo hospital. I wish him a speedy and complete recovery.
There is great concern in Donegal and throughout the country at what happened last Friday morning. As far as we can make out this tragic incident occurred at 3.30 a.m. on Friday and immediately a distress signal was sent out. The signal was received in Shannon and elsewhere but no help was forthcoming. The trawler had to make its way to Ballyglass Harbour in west Mayo. The skipper was alive and in full control of his faculties for some time after the occurrence. This is not the first time that a call for a helicopter has gone unanswered. I have raised the matter of the search and rescue services in this House on a number of occasions. I have stressed how important it is to have one of the five new helicopters based in the west or north-west to be available to reply to distress calls.
Since 1 January a number of accidents occurred off the Donegal and the west coast. Only about a week ago the Hellensport Courage, a Liberian registered vessel went out of control 20 miles off the Arranmore coast, with 50,000 tonnes of crude oil and 23 members of a crew on board. We did not have the facilities to come to their rescue and fortunately they succeeded in getting in order themselves and carrying on on their voyage to Scotland. Last January five men were rescued from the Kris An Avel, another boat, off the Donegal coast and four crew members had to be picked up by a trawler in the area at the time. Last year there were a number of fatal incidents off the Donegal coast. Late in 1987 The Boy Sean perished off Inishowen with four crew members lost. At that time we were depending on the RAF and the Portrush lifeboat to come to the rescue. Unfortunately they were too late and four lives were lost. Earlier in 1987 a young Donegal man was marooned coming ashore from his fishing boat near Greencastle. The man was standed on a rock for an hour and no one came to his rescue. He also perished. I mentioned these incidents to show the regularity of these tragic occurrences off Donegal and the west coast.
Recently, helicopters were purchased at great expense but they are still not operational at night. From what the Minister has said it seems it may be another year before they are operational at night. In the meantime we should approach the RAF who have always been willing to answer our distress calls to see if they would be willing to give us the personnel and the craft to base in the north-west or in the north of Ireland until we get our own helicopters operational. To mount a search and rescue operation we need the craft. We have the craft but they are not fully operational. We also need trained personnel. Until we have fully trained personnel and fully operational craft we should make some arrangement with people who can provide the facilities.
In a rescue operation communications are very important and we have difficulties in the area of communications. Indeed, up until the end of the year it was well known that the radio station at Malin Head, one of the most important in the country, was short staffed. I do not know whether that situation has been remedied but, if it has not, those responsible should remedy it. There is something more serious. Even though Malin Head is a very important radio station and is vital in relation to making arrangements for search and rescue operations, the equipment there is obsolete. Indeed, last week during this tragic incident which I mentioned earlier the station was operating a borrowed wireless set which was provided and lent to them by a firm in Donegal. If that is true — perhaps the Minister will let us know whether it is — it is a sad reflection on the importance we attach to these vital services.
Another aspect of the sea and rescue service is the part played by lighthouses down through the years. Not alone do the lighthouse keepers operate the lights, but they watch what is going on and provide a vital link very often between what is going on at sea and the rescue services on shore. At present a policy is being implemented of de-manning these lighthouses. I understand Tory Island in my constituency plays a vital role in these communications. I ask the Minister responsible and the Government to suspend this policy of de-manning until we go into the entire area of search and rescue, take our responsibility seriously, build this service up from the ground and have it functioning properly and effectively.
My colleague, Deputy Kenny, will be coming in shortly. We are all shocked and dismayed at the untimely death of John Oglesby. His loss will be felt not only by his wife and family but by the entire fishing community of Donegal. He was a leader of men, highly respected, who took up the challenge of the sea at an early age and was one of the great pioneering spirits of the Irish fishing industry. His death was tragic but if by it we are provoked into reorganising the search and rescue services in this area that death may not have been entirely in vain. I would like to pay tribute to the surviving members of the Neptune and her sister ship the Golden Rose who provided care and attention for the injured man until they got ashore in Ballyglass in Mayo.
We have raised this matter in the House on numerous occasions, and I make a last plea to have these helicopters operational without further delay. When they are operational it is vital to have them placed in the west because when an emergency occurs at sea, time is a crucial factor. It takes an hour or more to fly from Dublin to the west, but if they are placed in the west, be it north Mayo or Finner, they will be within 20 minutes flying distance of south Galway and Malin Head, and security and all the facilities are there. They would be safe there and strategically placed to provide this vital service on the north west and west coast.
The incidents are frequent, some tragic, some where prople escape; never-the less they happen. They will occur in future and that is not the time to start making arrangements to have a proper service; this is the time to do it, before we have to suffer any more. I ask the Ministers and the Government to give this careful consideration, to look into the feasibility of having this service established in the west or north west and, in the meantime, perhaps to make approaches to the RAF and have one of their Sea Kings there until we get ours operational.
I concur with the sentiments expressed by Deputy McGinley. I thank you, Sir, for the opportunity to have this matter raised in the House, and I thank Deputy McGinley for giving me a portion of his time.
The seas around the Eagle and westward can be savage and desolate. Loss of life in any event is tragic for the personnel and families involved. Loss of life at sea is particularly poignant and carries with it particular memories for those concerned for the remainder of their lives. Air, sea and marine rescue services carry with them the badge of individual heroism. Each incident is specific, each is particular and this one, also, ended in tragedy. I agree with Deputy McGinley about the urgency of training the personnel to fly the Dauphins at night and join with his call for the stationing of one of these helicopters in the west or north west area.
I would like the Minister to clarify some points as I am sure he has all the accurate technical details in his memorandum. I do not believe there was a lack of communication in this instance. I understand Shannon control were contacted. They in turn contacted the control centre at Swansea. A helicopter was to be sent from Aldergrove but this did not prove suitable and a Sea King helicopter was being prepared in Prestwick in Scotland. On examining the matter the services there felt that by the time the helicopter would get to the scene of the accident the trawler Neptune would have reached base.
The RAF provide a very high level service to this country free of charge. In reply to my Question No. 136 of 9 February 1988 the Minister indicated that in 1983 the RAF carried out 70 air-sea-marine rescues; in 1984 there were 20; in 1985 there were 93; in 1986 there were 61; and in 1987 there were 50, all provided free of charge. I understand the Air Corps, while not issuing a statement, answered questions on this matter. They said that at 6.15 a.m. they were preparing a helicopter for flight but this was cancelled at 6.37 a.m. when it became obvious that the Neptune would probably reach harbour before the helicopter would reach there. At this time of year daylight comes much later than 6.15 a.m. I am not sure that the Air Corps could have effected a rescue at that hour of the morning. The Minister might clarify that.
I am concerned also about the broader issue in his reply to Question 135 on 9 February when he indicated that a private helicopter company of the UK are negotiating with the British Government for the contracting out of various services. I know that is an internal matter for the British Government, but I urge the Minister that, whatever arrangements are arrived at between the private helicopter company and the British Government, this Government and this country should have the opportunity to discuss the consequences and its impact in terms of cost and effectiveness, speed of arrival at scenes of accidents etc. I hope the Minister will take a serious view of that.
When the Neptune arrived at Broadhaven Bay to Ballyglass Harbour no light showed from the lighthouse because the generator was out of action. The ESB had been contacted about this. There were no lights on the pier because these have been blown down due to storm, and electricity in the area had been out for some time. The ironic fact is that half a mile from the pier electric power had been restored to houses in the vicinity. I urge that the ESB should respond to sea calls particularly quickly because events like this, tragic as they are, happen continually.
I endorse fully the call to base one of the helicopters in the west or north-west To have to fly from Prestwick or Aldergrove is not sufficient in this day and age. Fishing is expanding and accidents will happen. The facts speak for themselves. It should be possible to base a helicopter in Finner Camp, Castlebar or Galway. In each of these three areas there is a military presence. Military barracks and garrisons are stationed there with helipads. Any of those locations would be admirably suited to effecting speedy rescues anywhere off the west coast, and, remember, there is no lifeboat between the Aran Islands and Arranmore and the coastline there can be wild and desolate at this time of the year or in a storm.
I ask the Minister to clarify for us here whether he, as Minister for the Marine, and the Minister for Defence are fully satisfied that the Dauphin helicopter is capable of providing an effective night rescue service. I understand some people have misgivings and doubts about the capacity of the Dauphin to live up to the proven record of the Sea King helicopter or others. I do not understand fully why we have not our personnel trained as yet. These helicopters were bought with public money, probably on the best of advice. They should be based where they can effect the best service for the public. I do not see why the expertise is not available to train our personnel a little more quickly.
The Deputy will bring his speech to a close now. I must call the Minister.
In conclusion, I endorse the sentiments expressed here. I express my sympathy with the family of the deceased and my condolences to the family of the injured seaman. I call on the Minister to clarify the position with regard to communication, positioning a helicopter in the west or north-west and training personnel to enable us to have a speedy and effective response to emergencies in future.
At the outset I should like to express my deepest sympathy on the tragic death of John Oglesby and to extend to his wife Eileen, his son, daughters, father, brother, sister and all his relatives our deepest sympathy on their tragic loss. I should also like to take the opportunity to wish a very speedy recovery to the injured fisherman, Tom Rodin, who is recovering in Sligo Hospital and to pay tribute to the crew of the Neptune and the crew of the sister fishing vessel the Golden Rose and all those who assisted in any way in relation to this tragic accident.
In so far as the search and rescue services are concerned the position is that the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Shannon received a distress call at 3.48 a.m. on 12 February requesting a helicopter to take two injured fishermen off the fishing vessel the Golden Rose which was then near Eagle Island off the west Mayo coast. While I understand that the accident occurred on the Neptune I am aware that the injured parties were transferred to the sister fishing vessel, the Golden Rose, and were brought ashore at Ballyglass pier.
The Irish Army Air Corps have no night flying capabilities. In the circumstances the MRCC immediately asked the UK coast guard at Swansea for RAF assistance. At first the coast guard had asked the RAF at Aldergrove near Belfast to provide a Wessex helicopter for the mission and preparations in that regard were immediately set in train. However, it was later decided that the Wessex helicopter would be unable to handle the mission because of weather conditions and preparations were then made seeking a helicopter to operate from Prestwick. This helicopter has a 90 minute alert time and when it was realised that it would not reach the Mayo coast until 7.50 a.m. the mission was abandoned because the fishing vessel would have landed the casualties before the helicopter arrived at the scene. In the event the Golden Rose arrived at Ballyglass pier at 7.21 a.m. and a doctor and ambulance were in attendance at the request of the MRCC.
The Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Shannon Airport are responsible for search and rescue operations within our regional responsibility. The centre receive and assimilate information relating to marine distress situations and co-ordinate the activities of the various rescue units and services at their disposal in order to ensure that speedy and effective help is rendered to vessels and persons in distress. The rescue service at the disposal of the MRCC include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Irish Army Air Corps, the Irish Naval Service, the coast radio stations at Malin Head, Donegal and Valentia in Kerry, the coast life saving service and the Garda Síochána. They also maintain close liaison with the UK and international search and rescue agencies such as MRCC Swansea, the UK coast radio stations, the US coast guard and the Spanish and French MRCCs.
We have an understanding with the UK in search and rescue matters and the MRCC can ask for assistance from the British Navy and the RAF if the need arises. In the case of incidents occurring beyond the range or capabilities of the Irish Air Corps it is common practice for the marine rescue co-ordination centre to call on the Royal Air Force or the Royal Navy for medium and long term range aircraft, Wessex and Sea King helicopters and Nimrod fixed wing aircraft to effect rescue. Assistance from neighbouring countries and close preparation are essential if we are to provide an effective maritime search and rescue system. Assistance from the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy is always immediately available and requests and assistance have always been provided free of charge.
In 1986 the Department of Defence acquired five Dauphin helicopters. Two of these helicopters will operate in support of the naval services. They have been specially equipped for shipboard operations and will be based on the L.E. Eithne. The other three helicopters will be dedicated to search and rescue and other operations in support of the civil community. This marks the start of a programme to replace the ageing fleet of Alouette helicopters which first entered the service in 1963. As Deputies will be aware the Dauphin is a light twin-engine, ten-seat fast helicopter. All five helicopters are equipped with highly sophisticated navigation and guidance systems making up an integrated flight system specifically intended to allow the helicopter to undertake search, rescue and surveillance missions over the sea and in bad weather. In addition to their navigation equipment, they are fitted with full radio communications equipment, including homing facilities and search and rescue radar. They are also equipped with a rescue hoist, stretchers, cargo slinging equipment, a search light and a loudhailer for use during rescue missions. Emergency flotation gear provides extra safety over water. The Dauphin is a medium helicopter which can carry out rescues at distances of up to 110 miles from a suitable land base and has an endurance of three hours. It can carry six to seven passengers and can accommodate up to four stretchers and a medical kit and crew. They have already been involved in day time search and rescue operations and full night time flying capability is expected to be available later this year. I know there has been some criticism of the delay in that respect but I now have an assurance from the Minister for Defence that the full service and night flying capability is expected to be available by June or July this year.
Where will they be based?
When the helicopters are fully operational they will greatly enhance our search and rescue facilities but we are still likely to require RAF and Royal Navy assistance, though on a reduced basis.
The lifeboat service around the coast of Ireland is provided and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. They are an independent voluntary body who provide the lifeboat stations and appoint the station personnel, including the lifeboat crews. There are three lifeboat stations on the west coast, at Valentia, Galway Bay and Arranmore. The institution are satisfied that, with their present coverage of the west coast, they can meet the obligations they have and they have no immediate plans for further stations in the area. In 1987 the RNLI provided a new 53 foot lifeboat in Galway Bay.
The search and rescue agencies of the State are represented on the Irish Marine Search and Rescue Committee who operate under the chairmanship of an official in my Department. The terms of reference of that committee are to keep under review the general arrangements for marine search and rescue in Ireland, to make recommendations for any improvements considered necessary, to consider the implications of any intended changes in equipment, deployment or organisation in any arm of the search and rescue organisation in advance of such changes and to take any measures which are necessary.
They should recommend a base on the west coast.
Can the Minister say if the west or north west will be considered as a base for one of the helicopters which was the essence of the question?
They also review on a continuing basis marine search and rescue arrangements by reference to the facilities provided by each component organisation of the committee. Most of the major operational search and rescue facilities are provided by organisations not under my control. Any modification in procedures and equipment by any of these organisations will be carried out under their executive authority after discussion and consultation with other member organisations. The committee do not submit recommendations in that regard to me and I would have no control over the bodies concerned. In this context, for instance, the deployment of Army Corps helicopters around the coast of the State is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Defence and the deployment of lifeboats is a matter for the RNLI. An ongoing function of the search and rescue committee is to consider the lessons to be learned from incidents involving the employment of search and rescue agencies and the efficiency of the responses of these agencies in situations such as we had recently. Therefore, the committee will be looking at the Neptune accident and the lessons which might be learned from it to ensure that we can deal with deficiencies and put in place a system which will be efficient and effective.
The lesson is obvious. One should be based in the west and north west.
I should like to extend my expression of sympathy to John Oglesby's wife, Eileen, to his son Martin, his daughters, his father, brother and sister and also to convey my good wishes to Tom Rodin who is recuperating in Sligo hospital and to wish him a speedy recovery.
The Dáil adjourned at 9 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 17 February 1988.