Lifeboat services back in business after dispute

LIFEBOAT services have been restored along a popular 10-mile stretch of coastline in Co Waterford following the end of a dispute between two rival services.

The Bonmahon Inshore Lifeboat and Lifeguard club, which has serviced the many beauty spots from Stradbally to Dunabrattin head for 19 years, has announced the resumption of its service after it ceased to operate on January 30.

The organisation made the decision when threatened by a group who were attempting to provide an additional inshore lifeboat in nearby Dunabrattin.

“It should never have happened, you would have had two halves of nothing if we’d both continued,” PJ O’Shea, secretary of the Bonmahon Inshore Lifeboat, said yesterday. “There is no need for a second service,” he added.

The Dunabrattin Inshore Lifeboat issued a statement saying it “deeply regretted” its decision to disband.

“It is with deep regret that we have reached this decision as our aim always was to save lives and provide an additional service to the local communities,” Brian Fleming, chairman of the Dunabrattin group, said.

Mr O’Shea maintains the area could not provide the human resources to man two lifeboat services and said the dispute had highlighted the lack of volunteers. “A lot of people took us for granted and the issue has highlighted the lack of volunteers and the essential nature of the service.”

Since regrouping the Bonmahon-based service has attracted seven new recruits and substantial funding from local businesses.

“We’re back up and running and I am pleased about that,” Mr O’Shea said.

He urged volunteers and recruits from throughout the locality to continue to support the work of the service, which has had 86 successful rescues since its inception.