The consultants' report in question contains recommendations relating to both the strategic development of the Coast Guard service and day-to-day operations. The strategic issues include, for example, matters relating to the future operation of the three marine co-ordination centres in Dublin, Malin and Valentia. As I informed the House in April of this year, consideration of these issues will also have regard to a wider review that I am undertaking at this time of the organisational structures and operational arrangements within my Department. My overall objective is to improve services delivery across the board, and I expect to be in a position to complete consideration of the matters relating to the Coast Guard shortly.
Work on assessing and, as appropriate, implementing recommendations which relate to the day-to-day operations of the Coast Guard service is also in hand. A working group of the Department's partnership committee, which comprises management and staff interests, has been considering the recommendations. Over one third of the approximately 100 recommendations made by the consultants have already been accepted and are in the course of being implemented. Consideration of the remaining recommendations will continue over the coming weeks and months. The Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Dublin, staff and functions were transferred to the Valentia and Malin Head centres in May 2003, to enable asbestos to be removed from ceilings of two of the five floors of the building where they were located in Leeson Lane. The asbestos has now been removed and arrangements are in hand to enable the MRCC, Dublin, staff to return to Leeson Lane this week.
