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Donegal senators come out fighting
28.02.08
DONEGAL senators put
party politics aside yesterday to fight for the
future of the embattled Malin Head Coast Guard
station.
Senators Pearse Doherty, Cecilia Keaveney and Brian
Ó Domhnaill echoed each other in the House after the
Government signalled its intention to press ahead
with plans to axe Malin Head and Valentia as marine
rescue co-ordination centres. |
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The local senators were
joined by their counterparts representing the
interests of the people of Valentia, Co. Kerry.
Junior Minister Michael Ahern, who stood in for
Minister Noel Dempsey, said the two stations in
question were old, run down and in need of
significant modernisation. |
Mr. Ahern said Minister
Dempsey believed that a new site on the west coast -
believed to at Shannon - would have to be "a
technically robust location, well served by
transport and infrastructure and also be situated
where all staff can live within close proximity to
enable them to respond in an emergency".
There were angry claims of "an agenda" at work at
senior management level within the Irish Coast Guard
to axe the two long-serving sites in favour of a new
one.
Meanwhile, the Donegal senators strenuously argued
that claims of telecommunications and electricity
deficiencies at Malin Head were inaccurate and had
to be disregarded.
Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty told the House it
was incomprehensible to take jobs away from rural
locations such as Malin Head and Valentia when the
Government was, at the same time, pursuing a policy
of decentralisation throughout the country.
Fianna Fáil Senator Cecilia Keaveney vociferously
urged her colleagues in Government not to fix what
wasn't broken and to "leave well alone". "If this
service can happen anywhere in the country, then
leave it where it is," she said.
The Donegal senators vowed to keep up their campaign
to save Ireland's most northerly marine rescue
centre. If you would like to support the ongoing
petition to save Malin Head Coast Guard station,
email your name and address to
wesupportu@inishowennews.com . |
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