Director of Irish Coastguard invited to Wexford as volunteers continue to work in ‘horrendous conditions’
Wexford PeopleA request has been made for the director of the Irish Coastguard to attend the October meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD) as efforts continue to find a new station for Kilmore Quay.
Having repeatedly raised the “horrendous conditions” the volunteers at the Kilmore Quay Coastguard Station are working in, Councillor Ger Carthy has called upon the most senior official in the organisation to attend next month’s meeting. And he has also singled out a junior minister for his lack of action.
“They’re operating in horrendous conditions, it’s an embarrassment on the State and it’s being allowed to continue under Transport Minister of State Seán Canney,” said Cllr Carthy at the September meeting of the RMD. “Under no circumstances should any voluntary organisation which gives up its time to save lives at sea be operating out of station like that.”
He received support from Cllr Jim Codd who said, despite the substandard conditions at their station, the coastguard did “phenomenal work” during peak season.
“They were minding hundreds of people every day,” he said. “They have a very difficult role to fulfil, and the government must support them.”
New district manager Anne Marie Laffan had been in contact with the Office of Public Works (OPW) regarding a potential upgrade of the station and received a response which stated that “the progression of a new purpose built coastguard station for Kilmore Quay is a matter for the Department of Transport, under whose auspices the coastguard operates.
“The OPW operates in compliance with the infrastructure guidelines and can only proceed with the permission of the approving authority, your correspondence has been forwarded to the Irish Coastguard Infrastructure and Capabilities Division department for reply.”
“That’s a kick the can down the road job,” said Cllr Carthy. “Can we invite the director of the Irish Coastguard to our next meeting, and an official from the Department of Transport?”
Cllr Codd meanwhile, reminded the meeting that a new site for the Kilmore coastguards had previously been identified, “and still nothing has happened”.