Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests
I am delighted to address you tonight at this dinner hosted by my Department on the occasion of the Irish Marine Search and Rescue Committee (IMSARC) meeting here in Rosses Point and the annual Search and Rescue Demonstration held this afternoon.
For those of our guests who may not be aware, this Committee was established 27 years ago, as a consultative committee. Its function is:
(i) to keep under review Marine SAR in Ireland, and to make recommendations for any improvements considered necessary.
(ii) to consider the implication of any changes.
(iii) to make recommendations on how the users can take action to improve the prospect of successful SAR.
The membership of the committee is drawn from the users and providers of Search and Rescue and from my Department. The Services, Institutions and Organisations represented are:
The Irish Declared Facilities which comprise of the Maritime Safety Directorate and the Irish Coast Guard of my Department, the RNLI, an organisation held in high esteem in this country and internationally, and The Department of Defence, Air Corps, Naval Service and Defence Force HQ.
The Statutory Safety Organisations; Irish Water Safety and the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
The National Authorities on the Committee; An Garda Siochana who are called out and respond to as many incidents as any other Declared Service and therefore must surely be considered at least an Honorary Declared Facility and the Irish Aviation Authority.
It should be remembered that the customers of the Irish Search and Rescue System are also on the Committee:
- Irish Sailing Association
- Irish Fishermen’s Organisation
- BIM Sea Fisheries Schools at Greencastle and Castletownbere.
Finally there are the neighbouring Marine SAR Authorities on the Committee
- United Kingdom Coastguard , the Maritime Coastguard Agency and the Isle of Man Coastguard.
I would like to take this opportunity to record my Department’s thanks to all the Declared Facilities and also to the Naval Vessels and Diving Unit and to the Garda Diving Service who always provide specialist professional assistance to us.
I welcome all the members of the Committee here tonight especially those who have travelled from overseas.
I thank you for all the hours you have put in on our behalf on this Committee and on other consultative and steering committees of my Department. I know there is a benefit for yourselves in the work of the Committee but I believe you deserve a special thanks.
I am also glad to have here with us tonight many special guests who deserve our acknowledgement and our thanks for their assistance and co-operation in the past in Search and Rescue, Pollution and Salvage Response and Survivor Welfare.
We anticipate we will need their assistance in the future. In particular, I would like to welcome those who took part in or whose resources supported the impressive Search and Rescue Demonstration of skills and resources today.
The Demonstration allowed the public an opportunity to appreciate the skills and dedication of those involved in the marine emergency service. It was an opportunity to increase public awareness of the need for safety on the water and on the cliffs, rivers, lakes and inland waterways of Ireland. As Minister, I feel we must use every opportunity that arises to promote the water safety message.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir agus tá siúl agam go mbainfaidh sibh suim agus taithneamh as an ocáid seo. Go dtéigh sibh uilig slán.