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Seanad showdown on Malin Head
22.02.08
PRESSURE is mounting on
the Government to retain Malin Head Coast Guard as a
marine rescue centre.
Fine Gael Deputy Joe McHugh said the Government was
attempting a massive u-turn from its initial plans
to upgrade Malin Head and recruit more staff. The
u-turn, he said, was based on a "flawed" senior
civil servant report that was "replete with
incorrect statements and false conclusions". |
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Deputy McHugh secured
the 16-page report under the Freedom of Information
Act and said its findings were highly critical of
the Malin region. But he said it contained a number
of fundamental errors on its claims of the region's
poor electricity supply and inferior
telecommunications. Deputy McHugh said that in its |
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criticisms of
educational opportunities, the report ignored the
relative proximity of the University of Ulster at
Magee, the North West College and LYIT.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin Cllr. Pádraig MacLochlainn last
night welcomed news that his party colleague Senator
Pearse Doherty had secured a Seanad debate on the
issue on Wednesday, February 27. Sinn Féin also
offered to facilitate community campaigners from
Malin Head and Inishowen if they wanted to attend
the Seanad debate.
"I firstly want to commend my colleague, Senator
Pearse Doherty for securing this crucial debate.
Since he first raised the issue in the Seanad last
November, he has repeatedly fought for this debate.
"The refusal of the Government to commit to the
long-term future of the Malin Head centre is
outrageous. It is not only a betrayal of the
dedicated staff at Malin Head but is also a betrayal
of the local community, a community continuously
failed by Government," said Cllr. MacLochlainn.
Echoing Deputy Joe McHugh's comments, Cllr.
MacLochlainn said the Government could not be
allowed to do a "complete u-turn that flies in the
face of its own policy on decentralisation".
If you would like to add your voice to the Save
Malin Head Coast Guard Campaign, simply send your
name and address to
wesupportu@inishowennews.com . |
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