‘It’s a political stunt to say we’ve an asset in Doolin Coast Guard’

FORMER Doolin Coast Guard volunteers have claimed the current reconstituted interim unit, which has eight members, is not fully functional in its current form, more than four months after the previous group was officially disbanded, writes Dan Danaher.

Last November, Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton asked the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) to begin the process of reconstituting the Doolin Coast Guard unit, which was stood down from operations and training activities following the resignation of six volunteers.

This decision was made following receipt of a report and recommendation from independent mediator, Kieran Mulvey, who concluded that certain relationships within the Doolin Coast Guard Unit have irretrievably broken down and that the mutual trust, respect and confidence required to effectively operate a Coast Guard Unit does not exist within the Unit.

The report concluded that the interpersonal difficulties are not capable of being resolved through the normal mediation process.

Deputy Darren O’Rourke recently asked Minister Naughton the status of the steps taken to identify and resolve issues between volunteers and management of the Irish Coast Guard generally, and the status of the reconstitution of the Doolin Coast Guard unit.

“The Mulvey report identified a breakdown of mutual trust, respect and confidence. That was a real concern and still is today, in many respects, because the Doolin Coast Guard Unit has not yet been fully reconstituted. Is the Minister of State satisfied that the interim arrangement is safe, comprehensive and fit for purpose, on an interim basis?”

Minster Naughton outlined there will “perhaps be 12 members of the team to start with”. Currently, additional cover is being provided from Kilkee and Killaloe. Helicopter and other emergency services are also being provided.

“Management within the Coast Guard will soon commence the process of recruitment to the Doolin unit on a permanent basis.

“Once the detailed arrangements for the process have been finalised, all Doolin current and former volunteers will be advised of those arrangements and the time frames which will apply to the submission of applications.

“We expect to be in contact with all former volunteers in relation to this recruitment process by mid-April 2022, bearing in mind Mr Mulvey’s recommendation to allow the reconstituted unit sufficient time to develop a culture between them of mutual respect and trust.”

However, volunteers are wondering why the previous unit was disbanded last November when it had 12 experienced qualified members only to be told they hadn’t sufficient numbers.

The Clare Champion interviewed a number of volunteers who are becoming increasingly concerned about the delay in rebuilding the unit, which previously had at least 18 members, back to an adequate number.

Following the celebration of St Patrick’s Day, the number of day trippers and visitors to North Clare will increase on a weekly basis, particularly during good weather.

Volunteers have claimed that the current interim unit doesn’t have enough experienced and fully trained members to carry out all the functions the previous unit completed before it was stood down last November.

Unless experienced and fully trained members are added, they alleged that the new unit will not be able to carry out any cliff searches and will be extremely limited in terms of completing any boat or land searches.

They pointed out it will take years for new recruits to gain the necessary training and experience before they can be tasked to participate in some of the unit’s tasks.

The Clare Champion has learned volunteers got an email last December confirming they were effectively sacked.

Two of the six who resigned have not come back. Two out of a group of 12 were asked back, the remaining ten remain sacked.

These ten volunteers were fully certified and qualified for the three disciplines, cliff, boat and air rescue.

Three of this ten each have 30 years’ experience, one has 20 and one of this group was the second in command in the unit for about 25 years.

One volunteer is very unhappy with how the reconstitution of the unit has been handled.

“We were never told Doolin Coast Guard was officially reconstituted, we were told they would put a team in place of people who would get on together. We were never told when this process was starting or finishing. The first people knew about it was when one of us saw them at a function in Doolin before Christmas and said ‘they have picked the team already’.

“The interim team is pointless. The interim team can’t do anything really. They are there in name only to keep the politicians happy. It is a political stunt to say we have an asset in Doolin Coast Guard. If there isn’t qualified and experienced members, it is impossible to put this unit together.

“It takes five years to become a fully trained coxswain for someone with no experience. If some of the ten people don’t go back there is no proper unit.”

Another volunteer claimed the current group were not a “functional” Doolin Coast Guard Unit and were more akin to a “management” unit.

“If there isn’t enough qualified and experienced members, it is impossible to put this unit together. If some of the ten people who were sacked don’t go back there is no unit. It makes no sense.

They don’t have enough qualified people to do a cliff exercise. If everyone happens to be available, the unit may be able to launch a boat, but everyone may not always be available when required.

A brand new van was provided in Doolin in 2017, which can be used to travel to an incident but is not fulfilling its intended purpose to transport all of the unit’s heavy climbing gear.

A volunteer stated the majority of volunteers can’t drive the van because they need a C licence.

One volunteer still can’t understand whe members are prohibited from assisting a person with a twisted ankle who is outside the fence in a designated exclusion zone near the Cliffs of Moher walk.

This is despite the fact that a fireman can be asked to assist a casualty, which volunteers claimed made no sense.

“Units are being stopped from making dynamic risk assessments. If a gale is blowing, the wind is coming a certain direction, a unit may decide it isn’t safe to rescue a casualty one way but they will come around and do it another safe way. That has been stopped.”

“We wanted to introduce a shackle into the climbing system for cave rescues. We were stopped from carrying out rescues in caves, now the fire brigade do it, which is taking away resources from the fire service.

“What happens if there is a fire in Ennistymon and the firemen are stuck down a cave in Doolin?,” the volunteer asked.

The Department of Transport did not comment on queries from the Clare Champion.