Good surveillance needs technology and people

WHILE intelligence is the key element in most major drug seizures, Jerome Lordan (July 16), correctly highlights the role of coastal surveillance in the security of our coastline and the war on drugs.

Successful coastal surveillance will always be a combination of people and technology. The watchful eyes of our marine community, at sea and on shore, are critical. While coastal radar has a role, its efficacy is limited by range, line of sight reception, small target detection difficulties and the volume of innocent passage traffic on our coast.

Recent technological and regulatory advances will assist in improved identification of vessels off our coast and improved targeting of suspect traffic.

Because these same matters are important to maintaining modern aids to navigation service the Commissioners of Irish Lights are to the fore in the development of the required technologies. We also strongly advocate the sharing of facilities and data and cooperation between appropriate agencies and have a number of such agreements in place.

It is the Commissioners of Irish Lights rather than Trinity House which control the lighthouses and other aids to navigation in Ireland.

We will always act responsibly, in keeping with our motto of ‘for the safety of all’.

Capt Kieran O’Higgins

Head of Marine

Commissioners of Irish Lights

16 Lower Pembroke St

Dublin 2