Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Mar 2000

Vol. 515 No. 6

Written Answers. - Safety at Sea.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

77 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources his views on the safety of fishermen and the fishing fleet in view of the reported request by Air Corps pilots to be taken off the search and rescue duty on the helicopter fleet due to their concerns regarding safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6654/00]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

The Irish coastguard has contracted two civilian Sikorski S61N search and rescue helicopters, one based in Shannon Airport and the second in Dublin Airport. These helicopters are available on a 24 hour 365 day basis for emergency response on any part of the coastline. Their call-out response time is not more than 15 minutes between 7.30 am and 9 .00 pm and not more than 45 minutes outside these times throughout the year. They are positioned so that they can reach, by day, 40 nautical miles off-shore in one hour and by night or in bad weather, 100 nautical miles in two hours. Search and rescue missions continue to be undertaken by the Air Corps helicopters at Finner, County Donegal and Waterford Airport.

Additional resources of the Irish coastguard are 65 full-time staff and over 600 volunteers. The coastguard manages and operates three co-ordination/communication centres at Dublin, Malin Head and Valentia, 12 remote VHF sites, two voice repeater sites and 52 coastal emergency response stations providing shore coverage.

In addition to its own resources, the Irish coastguard has a number of declared resources available to it on a 24 hour basis all year round. Apart from the two Air Corps search and rescue heli copters based at Finner and Waterford, these resources include the RNLI which has 24 lifeboat stations around the coast and seven community inshore rescue service boats based in strategic locations. It can also call on the Department of Defence naval vessels and divers, the air corps fixed wing aircraft, the Garda and their divers and UK Coastguard and all vessels at sea in a marine emergency situation.

I am not aware of any impending change in the status of the air corps helicopters which are dedicated to marine search and rescue. I am satisfied that the level of coverage available on all Irish coasts meets both national and international standards for marine search and rescue operations.