Dempsey denies coast guard station staff cuts will put lives in danger at sea

TRANSPORT Minister Noel Dempsey yesterday rejected claims that lives will be put in danger at sea because of the removal of staff from the Valentia Coast Guard Station.

In the coming years, Coast Guard services are to be located in two new stations, in Drogheda and on the west coast, believed to be Galway.

There are plans to decommissionstations at Valentia Island, Malin Head and Dublin.

Seventeen people are employed in the Valentia station which coordinates rescue operations along the south and west coasts and helped with the rescue of 3,000 people in 2004. So far this year, Valentia has dealt with over 600 incidents.

Acting supervisor at the Valentiastation Timothy Lyne said it would be devastating for families if they had to move from the area which has had a Coast Guard station since 1914.

“Over the years, we’ve established great relationships with the fishing community and rescue services around the coast and the service is greatlyappreciated,” said Mr Lyne, who has worked at the station for 36 years.

Kerry Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris claimed the closing of Coast Guard stations would have serious implications for safety at sea.

Mr Ferris, who raised the issue in the Dáil, said the plan would lead to the loss of 17 jobs in Valentia and further losses in Donegal and Dublin.

Mr Dempsey said lives would not be put at risk and the reason the Coast Guard was moving to modern rescue coordination centres was to provide the equipment that was needed for proper coordination in emergencies.

A department spokeswoman said the decision to establish two marine rescue co-ordination centres has been taken against a background of renewed investment and support for maritime safety. She also said the decision would not result in the reduction of resources in the Irish Coast Guard.