|
|
Malin unites to save
coastguard station
16.01.08
by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
THE MALIN Head Community Association is to launch a
petition calling on the Government to retain and
upgrade the Malin Head Coastguard Station.
Association chairwoman Cathy O’Donnell said that
local politicians and community leaders will be
invited to a public meeting at Malin Head hall on
Sunday, January 27, when the petition will be
launched.
“This is a vital service to Malin and the entire
North West and we’re looking to step up our campaign
to make sure it’s maintained,” Ms O’Donnell said.
“Joe McHugh has already spoken in favour of
maintaining the station, and we’ll be calling on
other public representatives such as Dr. Jim McDaid,
Niall Blaney and Cecilia Keaveney to get behind us
as well. |
 |
“This is an island
nation and having two radio stations in rural areas,
one at Valentia and one at Malin, makes sense,” said
Andrew Ward of the new Inishowen cohesion group. “If
jobs like this are taken out of Malin Head then what
will they be replaced with?
“We have an international obligation to provide this |
service and it can best
be delivered from Malin Head,” he continued. “It is
staffed by people who understand the sea and it has
been done safely and successfully from here for
generations.”
Local fishermen have expressed concern at the plans
to scale back the Coastguard presence at Malin Head,
relocating it to a central office in Dundalk and a
station at an as yet unidentified location on the
west coast.
“Malin Head station isn’t just a location,” a source
close to the fishing community said. “Several of the
staff have fished the waters from Galway to Malin
and their local knowledge is unsurpassed. That
knowledge cannot be learned from books or by looking
at a map and it would be lost if the station is
relocated.”
The petition reads: ”We, the undersigned, call on
the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey to retain
and upgrade Malin Head Coastguard Radio Station as a
fully manned marine rescue centre.” |
|
