Concern over Doolin Coast Guard centre funding

Growing uncertainty surrounding the Government’s allocation of €1.5 million in capital funding for the long-awaited new Doolin Coast Guard Rescue Centre has prompted criticism from a number of public representatives.

Fine Gael’s deputy spokesperson on foreign affairs, Pat Breen, is to demand answers from the Minister for Transport and Marine, Noel Dempsey regarding the future of a permanent coast guard station at Doolin when the Dáil resumes next week.
“Last year we were told the money would be ring-fenced and that the station was getting priority. It is unclear if that is still the case,” he told The Clare Champion.
Deputy Breen reiterated his contention that the Government has been ‘dragging its heels’ in providing a permanent home for the Doolin Coast Guard, adding, “Back in 2004, I was told by the then Minister for the Marine Dermot Ahern that a purchase of a site had been agreed and yet six years down the road there is no permanent home for the service. It is simply not good enough.”
“In the meantime, the Doolin volunteers risk their lives everyday for others and they are continuing to operate out of a building that is no bigger than an average garden shed,” he claimed.
Deputy Breen stated that he planned to ask Minister for Transport when the Dáil resumes next week whether or not the €1.5m, which was believed to be earmarked for the Doolin development, would still be forthcoming.
In a statement to The Clare Champion, the Department of Transport confirmed that the coast guard “has in place a building programme” for a number of stations, including that at Doolin. However, it added that the budget for such projects had decreased.
“In light of the current economic circumstances, the capital budget for the coast guard station house building programme has been reduced and the coast guard are re-evaluating the projects that can be carried out in 2010. The projects that will proceed in 2010 will depend on planning permission and available funding to meet costs of the build,” a spokesperson for the department said.
The Clare Champion understands that a meeting is due to take place next week between representatives of the Office of Public Works and members of the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard in relation to the design of the proposed station.
According to Mattie Shannon, officer in charge of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard, the current building is completely unsuitable.
“The current building is inadequate for storage, we have no changing rooms, no toilets; we have women and men in the team, so it would be important to have separate quarters. The building we are in is an old stone structure and only very basic equipment is stored there because of its size. We have a portacabin that we use as a control centre,” he explained.
A new station is vital, Mr Shannon stated, claiming it would make call-outs more efficient.
“It would mean that when there is an incident we would all be able to meet at one focal point and all go from there. At the moment, we go to a few different points in the area to collect equipment, so it would certainly be more efficient,” he outlined.
Fine Gael councillor Martin Conway said there was outrage in North Clare at the possibility that Government funding for the station wasn’t guaranteed.
Criticising the “foot-dragging” by various Government departments since 1986, Councillor Conway said that the existing building used by the coast guard was totally inadequate.
“The Doolin Coast Guard recovered 49 bodies from the Atlantic Ocean last year. Volunteers are available around the clock to launch a rescue operation in all types of inclement weather. The least they deserve is the provision of proper facilities to accommodate any bodies recovered in advance of a post mortem.
“It will be interesting to see whether or not the extension to the Killybegs Rescue Centre, which is situated in the constituency of Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, gets the go ahead before Doolin.
“Equipment for rescues is currently being stored at the back of three different premises and in the event of congestion in Fisher Street during a busy period, this could lead to an unacceptable delay for any rescue operation,” he said.
Councillor Conway urged Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to confirm Doolin was number one on the Government’s priority list and stressed that if this was not the case, it was up to Minister of State, Tony Killeen and Deputy Timmy Dooley to secure the necessary funding.
However, Minister Killeen explained that no Government department could ring-fence funding for any project indefinitely if there were delays in different stages of the project. He pointed out that once a development was approved by a Government department, in principle, it was included on a priority list, land had to be acquired and then planning permission had to be obtained.
Once all these stages were completed, Deputy Killeen said that an application could then be made for funding. Even if the Department of Transport had the money to spend immediately on Doolin, he pointed out it couldn’t happen because planning permission hasn’t been obtained.
Commenting on the extension to the Killybegs Coast Guard Centre, he noted this development was nearly as complicated and as long drawn out as Doolin and complimented Minister Coughlan for the work she had completed to try and resolve the matter.
Acknowledging the co-operation of landowners concerning the Doolin Centre, he pledged that the funding issue would be dealt with once planning permission was secured.
Deputy Timmy Dooley said he would work with Minister Killeen to the best of his ability to secure the necessary funding.