Minister Varadkar supports Irish bid for EU Coast Guard Secretariat
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar is supporting an Irish bid for a new European Coast Guard secretariat to be permanently based in Dublin.
Chris Reynolds, director of the Irish Coast Guard, has been appointed chair of the European Union Heads of Coast guard which next year will host its annual meeting in Dublin.
Mr Reynolds has been tasked to prepare the ground for a permanent secretariat, manned by Coast Guard Officers from Member States, the EU Commission and various agencies. Shared resources would include search and rescue, pollution response, fisheries control and maritime security. Advising the Commission on matters arising from its Integrated Maritime Policy viz research funding and development are also part of the brief.
Separately, Minster Varadkar has announced a €2m safety investment programme for the Coast Guard to purchase seven new boats, along with new vehicles and equipment:
- €1.5m towards seven new boats as part of its boat renewal programme
- €300,000 to purchase new vans for the Coast Guard’s volunteer rescue teams
- €200,000 will be used to update the Coast Guard’s pollution response equipment to best international standards.
“I’m very happy to allocate extra resources to the Coast Guard to upgrade its vital equipment. Everyone who goes to sea owes a debt of gratitude to the Coast Guard, as do their family and friends. The Coast Guard responds to emergency call-outs, and saves lives, at all hours of the day and night, throughout the year,” he said.
One of the new Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) will be based at Achill Coast Guard station and the remainder will be delivered to other stations around the coast over the next 12 months, according to priority.
