  Marine Rescue Centres: Discussion.
Vice Chairman (Deputy Paul Connaughton):   I welcome the delegation. I draw witnesses’ attention to the fact that ++ Mr. John Fearon: I thank members for the invitation to attend this meeting to discuss proposals ++++++++++ + Deputy Fergus O’Dowd: I point out to the committee and visitors in the Visitors Gallery that I must +++ Vice Chairman: I think he would still field the high one. Deputy Fergus O’Dowd: He could well be playing for Louth. We could do with him.+ Mr. John Fearon: I thank the Deputy for his comments about the publication of the report on the +++ Deputy Fergus O’Dowd: Is it correct the Government decided not to decentralise 190 jobs to Drogheda? Mr. John Fearon: I would not put it quite in those terms. The proposal went to the Government + Deputy Fergus O’Dowd: It is a disgraceful decision not to decentralise those jobs. I know it is not + Deputy Thomas P. Broughan: I am under the same constraint as my Fine Gael colleague because of Report ++++++ Mr. John Fearon: As regards the three stations, the issue in general is about investment. I ++ Vice Chairman: Everybody wants to speak and there is great interest in this. I have every + Senator Mark Daly: In his report Mr. Fearon said that critical to the operation of any control + Mr. John Fearon: Yes, that is correct. Senator Mark Daly: I refer to an ESB letter, dated 22 February, and a subsequent UPS report on 6 + Mr. John Fearon: With respect to the Senator, it is not quite that straightforward. Senator Mark Daly: It is either up to standard, or it is not. Mr. John Fearon: Our consistent finding in relation to Senator Mark Daly: No, the ESB has given Mr. Fearon a report. The board is the supplier of + Mr. John Fearon: The ESB statement found that in a week in which it had a device in place, no + Senator Mark Daly: Am I correct in saying that-- Vice Chairman: Senator Daly should allow Mr. Fearon to answer the question and I shall let him + Mr. John Fearon: similar, if not identical equipment in place over a + Senator Mark Daly: May I please clarify something? Vice Chairman: The Senator may. Senator Mark Daly: Mr. Fearon asked the ESB to give a report as regards the UPS and it said that + Mr. John Fearon: We did our own monitoring. Senator Mark Daly: Mr Fearon did not get the ESB to do it. Mr. John Fearon: We did not. We monitored the system. In a week in which the ESB monitored the + Senator Mark Daly: Can Mr Fearon supply within two days the UPS reports he had to hand when he + Mr. John Fearon: I can, yes. Senator Mark Daly: Will he please give that to the Chairman? To continue, Mr. Fearon said that + Mr. John Fearon: It is. Senator Mark Daly: Mr. Fearon does not accept the ESB’s findings. Mr. John Fearon: I have findings which are different. Senator Mark Daly: From the ESB. Mr. John Fearon: To be fair, the ESB is commenting from the perspective of having a piece of + Senator Mark Daly: The ESB is not referring to upages and downages, but saying they are within + Mr. John Fearon: Unfortunately, the facts do not bear that out. Reference was made in the + Senator Mark Daly: I accept that, but the Coast Guard equipment is not similar to the ESB’s + Mr. John Fearon: Absolutely, but not at the same level. That is the only point I am making. Senator Mark Daly: In Mr. Fearon’s report as regards parallel staffing, he says the + Mr. John Fearon: Clearly one cannot. Senator Mark Daly: Fine. That is all right. Vice Chairman: Mr. Fearon has to be allowed answer fully. Mr. John Fearon: In our situation parameters are changing all the time. I pointed this out in a + Senator Mark Daly: Therefore, what is being proposed is something that is not actually possible. Mr. John Fearon: No. We outline the difficulties and we manage our way around it. I indicated + Senator Mark Daly: Was Mr. Fearon aware that Mr. Mullen had said that? Mr. John Fearon: He had not said it at the stage that I did. I wrote the report and things + Senator Mark Daly: How can it actually work? If we are not allowed overlapping staff, and there + Mr. John Fearon: My job is to find a way around these difficulties. If that was the position + Senator Mark Daly: Will lives be put at risk if there are gaps in the staffing system? Mr. John Fearon: No. I have tried to make it clear that the motivation behind what I am + Deputy Tom Sheahan: I have a big problem with the fact that this issue is being dealt with by the ++ Mr. John Fearon: The point I was making was that there is a range of issues that must be + Deputy Tom Sheahan: I do not know if Mr. Fearon realises the respect the wider community has for + Mr. John Fearon: No. My appreciation of the level or the quality of the work done by + Senator Cecilia Keaveney: I welcome Mr. Fearon here today. He stated that any move from either of the +++++++++ Mr. John Fearon: I will try to deal with the range of issues raised. In regard to the impact on ++++ Senator Mark Daly: On a point of order, he is raising an issue there Vice Chairman: I will give the Senator an opportunity to revert to this issue but all his + Senator Mark Daly: There is an inaccuracy. Vice Chairman: I will give the Senator adequate time at the conclusion. Mr. John Fearon: There is that position in respect of distance and it is true to say that any + Senator Cecilia Keaveney: Sorry Vice Chairman: I must move on. Senator Cecilia Keaveney: Everyone else has tried to respond to what has been said. My questions were + Mr. John Fearon: Yes. Senator Mark Daly: This is inaccurate. In the report given to the Minister, it is stated that + Vice Chairman: Is that correct? Where do a majority of the staff live? Senator Paul Coghlan: Of the 14 staff in my area, I understand that only two live outside the county. Senator Cecilia Keaveney: Moreover, this is a red herring because someone who lives in Derry is far + Senator Mark Daly: This pertains to the accuracy of the report given to the Minister. It was + Vice Chairman: Mr. Fearon should clarify this matter for members. Mr. John Fearon: At the time, the reference was to approximately half of the staff living + Senator Cecilia Keaveney: More than half. Senator Mark Daly: More than half. Mr. John Fearon: It stated “about half of staff”. Senator Mark Daly: The report stated that “at present, about half the staff do not live in + Mr. John Fearon: Okay. Senator Cecilia Keaveney: In Malin, more than half the staff do not live in the county. That is contrary + Mr. John Fearon: Indeed. Senator Mark Daly: Who gave Mr. Fearon the information that Mr. John Fearon: I took that information from our records at the time. There have been changes + Senator Mark Daly: No, the figures members are providing are from that day. Mr. John Fearon: My figures are different. Vice Chairman: Perhaps Mr. Fearon was misinformed. |