I reject any contention that my Department or the Irish Coast Guard, which is a division within the Department, has experienced difficulties in maintaining emergency service provision.
To be clear, the context for the actions referenced is a major reform programme which has been underway within the Irish Coast Guard in the wake of recent safety-related reports. There are no "short cuts" or "easy solutions" which will eliminate the potential for further suspensions occurring where the safety of our volunteers is at stake.
This reform programme includes the development of a Safety Management System and an associated Quality Assurance programme, which are premised on the principles of volunteer safety first and continuous improvement. The programme has resulted in several improvements to training, equipment and procedures which, in the recent past, have necessitated the temporary suspension of some operations - all of which are ultimately aimed at facilitating the necessary improvements to the safety of the volunteers. While introducing such improvements can be challenging, they are being managed in a way that minimises disruption.
As regard the most recent suspension of the cliff rescue services, the Coast Guard continues to work with all cliff rescue stakeholders, including the 17 cliff rescue units, and I am pleased to report that they are working towards an anticipated resumption of cliff operations commencing on April 22nd and over subsequent weeks.
The necessary improvements within the Irish Coast Guard, in this instance in the cliff rescue function, have been introduced to deliver effective oversight and management of the volunteer Coast Guard Units and to ensure that the Department meets its obligations in terms of securing and managing the health and safety of the volunteers while conducting Coast Guard activities. The Irish Coast Guard continues to take a pro-active approach to the safety of volunteers and will continue to mitigate risks to the volunteer Coast Guard units as they serve their local communities
