Varadkar says coastguard centres will remain open

Coastguard centres at Malin Head, Valentia and Dublin will remain open according to the Minister for Transport.

In a statement to the Dáil this evening Leo Varadkar said the reviews into the coast guard services are ongoing.

But he wanted to assure local communities that the three coastguard centres would not be closed.

Minister Varadkar said he was disappointed at the treatment of officials from his department at a recent meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications.

He said there was a small number of members whose contribution was deeply unfair and unjustified.