Patrick D. Harte
Ceist:48 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for the Marine if he will provide an inshore lifeboat for the Malin area, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - County Donegal Lifeboat Service.
The lifeboat service in Ireland is provided by voluntary bodies, principally by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. No lifeboats are provided directly by my Department.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution provides an efficient and effective lifeboat service around our coast. On the northern coast they have lifeboat stations at Arranmore, Lough Swilly and Portrush. The adequacy of the lifeboat service is kept under continuous review by the RNLI. A grant of £100,000 is paid every year by my Department to the RNLI to defray their general expenses. This annual grant is in lieu of grants for specific projects. I have no funds at my disposal for lifeboats other than those operated by the RNLI.
Should a voluntary organisation wish to establish a lifeboat service at Malin or anywhere else around the coast, I understand that funds may be provided by certain local authorities.
My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, informs me that sanitary authorities have powers under section 40 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1948, with his consent, to contribute to the funds of a society having as or among its objects the saving of persons from drowning. The Minister for the Environment assures me that he would give favourable consideration to any application made to him pursuant to that section.
Moreover, the Minister for the Environment informs me that inshore lifeboat projects recommended to him by local authorities may be considered for funding under the amenities/recreational facilities grants scheme operated by his Department and financed from national lottery surplus funds.
The Deputy may be aware that my Department operates a cliff rescue unit off the coast and cliff rescue service at Greencastle near Malin. This unit will soon be equipped with an inflatable boat to support cliff rescue and shore search operations.