Coastguard defends €400k spend on branded merchandise

The coast Guard said that the promotional materials are necessary for their awareness campaigns presented at schools. Picture: Press 22 

The Irish Coast Guard has defended a planned spend of more than €400,000 on branded hats, pencils, rulers, towels, and other promotional products.

This is according to a tender on the eTenders website which has been submitted by the Department of Transport.

Suppliers and manufacturers have until November 21 to respond to the call for “promotional branded merchandise for Irish Coast Guard and Safety on the Water”.

The tender has been slammed as “an outrageous waste of public money” by Senator Gerard Craughwell, who is to raise the matter in the Seanad.

“I cannot believe that, in the middle of an international financial crisis, the Irish Coast Guard feel it is absolutely necessary to spend this amount of money on things like branded pens and pencils,” he said.

The organisation is also involved in a tender process that is likely to cost the taxpayer more than, as I have stated in the Seanad, €1bn for five helicopters for four bases.

“This is all the while the UK has managed to sign a Search and Rescue contract for 18 helicopters for 12 bases, including fixed wing and drone support, for a total of £1.6 billion for ten years.” He added:

 There is something terribly wrong with an organisation like the Irish Coast Guard that feels one of its spending priorities is branded merchandising.

“This is taxpayers’ money at the end of the day and I will be demanding Transport Minister Eamon Ryan either come into the Seanad himself or sent someone else to explain why this is absolutely necessary.” 

The full list of goods the coast guard wants also includes travel bags, sports bags, ballpoint pens, bottles, and towels. The tender notice states:

“The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the Term for a period or periods of up to 12 months with a maximum of two such extension or extensions on the same terms and conditions, subject to the Contracting Authority’s obligations at law.

“The Contracting Authority estimates that the expenditure on the Goods to be covered by the proposed Goods Contracts may amount to some €400,000 (excl. VAT) over the term and any possible extensions.

“Tenderers must understand that this figure is an estimate only based on current and future expected usage.” 

It adds: “The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest priced or any Tender.”  A Department of transport spokesperson said: 

The merchandise is required to promote Water Safety as part of the Coast Guard’s water safety campaign that includes attendance at national public events, local events and a well-established primary school water safety educational programme.

"The merchandise would be utilised by the network of 44 volunteer Coast Guard units including, Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centres and Coast Guard Helicopter Bases.

"It would be used to highlight themes such as ’No Lifejacket – No Excuse’; ‘Stay Afloat Stay in Contact’; ‘Stay back – Stay Hight – Stay Dry’.

"As the programme evolves new themes are identified and developed for example, dangers associated with use of inflatable toys on open water and unmonitored open water swimming.

"The proposed expenditure also includes material for use in school classroom situations."