Vol. 493 No. 4
25 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the progress, if any, made to date in regard to discussions between the Irish Marine Emergency Service and local authorities with a view to improving co-operation between the Irish Marine Emergency Service and lifeguards, particularly in view of recent drowning tragedies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16075/98]
As I mentioned in the House on 27 May 1998, the recent unfortunate tragedies and loss of life to which the Deputy refers have highlighted once again the dangers associated with recreational water activities.
My Department is responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all maritime search and rescue, SAR, measures within the internationally designated Irish search and rescue region. The local authorities are responsible for safety on their beaches and the appointment of lifeguards. However, I have instructed my officials to provide advice and assistance to marine local authorities, with a view to ensuring a high level of co-operation and co-ordinated action, where necessary.
The Irish Marine Emergency Service, IMES, of my Department has various response services declared to it as rescue facilities. These services include the RNLI, Air Corps, Community Inshore Rescue Service, IMES helicopters, IMES coastal units and IMES radio centres and the national marine communication network. These services, when alerted, are available to respond to any emergency on our coastline.
IMES has engaged in ongoing discussions with Water Safety Ireland of the National Safety Council and with the local authorities to affirm the lifeguard Service as a "Declared Facility". I can report that in this regard IMES addressed the local authorities water safety development officers' conference at Dungarvan, County Waterford, on 1 April 1998. The conference was advised of the resources available in Ireland for search and rescue and how to alert them and the subject of lifeguards as a declared resource to IMES was raised. The benefits of a liaison agreement to both IMES and lifeguards were discussed and received a positive response from those in attendance. IMES also met representatives of Sligo County Council on 29 May to discuss the Strandhill tragedy, to offer whatever assistance it could and to examine ways of progressing the establishment of a liaison agreement with Sligo County Council.
The purpose of establishing the Lifeguard Service as a "Declared Facility" is to improve co-operation between the duty lifeguards and IMES, to provide effective and timely mutual support in search and rescue operations and maintain effective SAR communications between the lifeguards, the Irish Marine Emergency Service and its response services in a marine emergency incident.
It is my Department's intention to have liaison agreements with all maritime local authorities and hopefully to sign all agreements at the same time. In this regard we are working with Water Safety Ireland of the National Safety Council, which has undertaken to circulate the draft documents. My Department will continue to progress this important matter.
I thank the Minister for his reply. When does he expect the lifeguard facilities operated by local authorities to become declared facilities for IMES purposes? In his reply to my colleague on 27 May he indicated that in order to be a declared facility the lifeguard service would have to meet specific standards or set criteria laid down by IMES. In what regard is the lifeguard service provided by the local authorities not meeting the criteria or standards set down by IMES? Is it in some way deficient in relation to those standards?
As to when it is likely to happen and when the procedures are likely to be completed, it is expected that a liaison agreement will be in place for the beginning of next year's lifeguard season. It will involve training, among other things, and I will return to that point. Even without that agreement, the IMES search and rescue resources are available to the lifeguard service at present, but with it the arrangement will be much tighter, with suitable training and a fully declared facility. The lifeguard can notify IMES using the 999 system as advertised in the telephone directory and the safety awareness booklets promoted under my Department's marine safety initiative. These booklets have been circulated to all relevant bodies, including harbour and local authorities.
In the case of the Strandhill tragedy, a lady at the scene phoned 999 and an IMES helicopter was there within six minutes, but tragically there was an underdraft and the people were swept out to sea. The helicopter helped with the search and recovery. It is not always possible to be on the spot so quickly but they happened to be on a training operation nearby. That is what is possible now and we are trying to tighten up further.
The Deputy asked about the criteria, which are currently in draft form and being developed. We would have tried to further this relationship in any event. The extra elements in the criteria include that all beach lifeguards will develop and make available to IMES written operational procedures, which will include a full, normal operating policy and emergency action plans; all lifeguards are to have a valid and nationally recognised beach lifeguard qualification and possess an approved first aid certificate; an agreed training programme and assessment for lifeguards is to be put in place, including a seven to 14 day fitness test, and to be undertaken on a regular basis throughout the season, with a log book used to record the training; all lifeguards are to satisfy IMES training requirements for basic radio communications procedure and to be qualified to at least a VHF restricted certificate of competence and radiotelephony and each unit is to be licensed to the radio surveyor's office. There are various other requirements relating to equipment, the use of readily identifiable and specific uniforms, etc. Those are the kind of criteria being developed, which would mean a tightening up of the relationship when the facilities are declared.
Do I understand from the Minister's remarks that the lifeguard service will be a declared facility for the 1999 season?
That is the objective, yes.
The Minister mentioned that IMES had additional requirements — such as training in procedures, first aid certificates, fitness testing and fundamental radio procedures — which seem quite basic. Is he saying that our lifeguard service this summer does not match up to the IMES standards as regards these basic requirements, which it must meet in order to be a declared facility? Is our current service deficient as regards basic fitness, emergency procedures and radio training, all of which one would have expected to be prerequisites?
Many of these are in place and we have many excellent lifeguards operating on our coasts, as the Deputy knows. What is involved here is much greater co-ordination and standardisation of approach and better liaison between the services so that they instantly know what they are doing and can act in unison — if one does not have a declared service that is not the case. It requires more detail on the standard operating procedures, and while these may seem simple the difference where the facility is declared is that one operates these plans instantly on a co-ordinated basis across the country or within a region. Currently lifeguards work to local authorities, some of whom may have different procedures, although all of them will be good. I also envisage that this will lead to the service being better equipped on a standardised basis and that is something we are discussing in our liaison with local authorities. I think this will be a good development and lead to an enhanced and more co-ordinated service, which is what people want.
What the Minister is saying is desirable in the context of lifeguards, the Irish Marine Emergency Service and the local authorities but perhaps he could broaden it slightly. In the Strandhill incident there was criticism that the slipway was inaccessible because of various objects. Will the Minister, in consultation with local authorities, where there is an emphasis on the marine, ensure that a directive on slipways is issued? It is important that good housekeeping prevails.
This will become a normal part of liaison. When one concentrates sufficiently at a high enough level, everyone is brought together to look at how everything is linked and the weaknesses in those links become very apparent. This raises the question of resources. Reports on beaches are issued to local authorities by my Department, and we must look at how these are integrated into the system. There is a follow through as regards declared facilities. Many matters which may not be foreseen so readily now come together more efficiently if there is liaison.
