Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004
246 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the situation with regard to the proposed Doolin Coastguard search and rescue centre; when he envisages the centre to commence; the funding that has been allocated towards the centre; if a site has been acquired for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19068/04]
View answerThe Irish Coastguard of my Department operates a station house building programme for coastal units around the coast. The Office of Public Works manages this programme for the Coastguard.
The current position regarding the proposed new search and rescue station house at Doolin, County Clare, is that while financial sanction has been granted in principle for the development the OPW have not yet been able to acquire a suitable site. It is not possible, therefore, to state a commencement date for the centre. However, the OPW is in negotiations for acquisition of a site near Doolin and, as soon as a suitable site has been acquired, the construction process, including building design, planning permission application and tendering, will be proceeded with as quickly as possible. Until the process of site acquisition is completed no specific funding can be allocated for the Doolin project. The Irish Coastguard and the OPW are giving top priority to the project for a Doolin search and rescue centre in their work under the station house building programme.
