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Dempsey makes no decision on Malin
Head
15.02.08
A DELEGATION fighting
to save Malin Head Coast Guard station said they
have received no firm commitment from Minister Noel
Dempsey that he will reverse the decision to close
the operation.
Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP) chairperson,
John McCarter travelled to Dublin on Tuesday along
with IDP co-manager Andrew Ward and IDP board member
and local marine expert Seamus Bovaird. |
Mr. McCarter said the
Minister did not commit to keeping Malin Head open
as a marine rescue centre.
But he said the Minister admitted to being better
informed about the quality of communications and
expertise at Malin Head Coast Guard Station
following the meeting
"We have had no clarification on the situation but
we were able to update Minister Dempsey very clearly
on the suitability of Malin Head to be retained as a
marine rescue centre. The Minister admitted that he
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better informed that he
had been up until now and he took onboard the points
that we put to him," said Mr. McCarter.
The man who wrote the report saying Malin Head
should be discontinued as a marine rescue centre,
Assistant Secretary Fearon was also at Tuesday's
meeting that was facilitated by Senator Cecilia
Keaveney.
She said Minister Dempsey acknowledged that the
delegation's defence of Malin Head was well made and
he would have their points reviewed.
"He acknowledged that we argued our case rationally
and had put effort into the response we had
compiled," explained Senator Keaveney.
However, she said the Minister also made it clear he
had a serious decision to make.
The Fearon Report recommends one major rescue
centre, with a second backup facility. The choice of
Drogheda as the location in the east was linked to
the decentralisation of part of the Department of
the Marine, said Senator Keaveney.
"We made a strong case that went with fact and not
pure emotion for the Minister to realise the recent
strides forward we have made in Inishowen.
"We placed particular emphasis on the importance of
the rescue centre to our county, a county which is
so reliant on marine activity but with an
infrastructure to support the items identified in
the Fearon Report," said Deputy Keaveney.
She added: "Minister Dempsey was left under no
illusion that we were confident that we had a
location of equal status to all others and therefore
we were not looking for special favours but the
retention of what we have.
"He undertook to come back to me on the issue once
our response had been examined more closely by
Assistant Secretary Fearon." |
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