Question 1

What is The Irish Coast Guard?

Accepted Answer

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

Question 2

What is its main role of the Irish Coast Guard?

Accepted Answer

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Question 3

Is the Irish Coast Guard service 24/7?

Accepted Answer

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

Question 4

How many emergencies does the Irish Coast respond to each year?

Accepted Answer

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Question 5

Does it also handle medical emergencies?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

Question 6

Is the Irish Coast Guard an all-island body?

Accepted Answer

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

Question 7

How much does the Irish Coast Guard cost?

Accepted Answer

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

Question 8

What resources does the Irish Coast Guard have?

Accepted Answer

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

Question 9

How quickly can Irish Coast Guard assets respond?

Accepted Answer

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

Question 10

How are Irish Coast Guard units managed?

Accepted Answer

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Question 11

Are Irish Coast Guard volunteers paid?

Accepted Answer

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

Question 12

Does the Irish Coast Guard charge for rescue?

Accepted Answer

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

Question 13

What communications systems do the Irish Coast Guard use?

Accepted Answer

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Question 14

Is the Irish Coast Guard responsible for pollution response?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

Question 15

What is the Irish Coast Guard's safety record?

Accepted Answer

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

Question 16

What was the Government response to the Coast Guard fatalities?

Accepted Answer

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

Question 17

When was The Irish Coast Guard formed?

Accepted Answer

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

Question 18

Who was The Irish Coast Guard's first director?

Accepted Answer

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

Question 19

Who is The Irish Coast Guard's current director?

Accepted Answer

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

Question 20

Where are Coast Guard Units located in Ireland?

Accepted Answer

Achill, Co. Mayo Ardmore, Co. Waterford Arklow, Co. Wicklow Ballybunion, Co. Kerry Ballycotton, Co. Cork Ballyglass, Co. Mayo Bonmahon, Co. Waterford Bunbeg, Co. Donegal Carnsore, Co. Wexford Castlefreake, Co. Cork Castletownbere, Co. Cork Cleggan, Co. Galway Clogherhead, Co. Louth Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway Courtown, Co. Wexford Crosshaven, Co. Cork Curracloe, Co. Wexford Dingle, Co. Kerry Doolin, Co. Clare Drogheda, Co. Louth Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Dunmore East, Co. Waterford Fethard, Co. Wexford Glandore, Co. Cork Glenderry, Co. Kerry Goleen, Co. Cork Greencastle, Co. Donegal Greenore, Co. Louth Greystones, Co. Wicklow Guileen, Co. Cork Howth, Co. Dublin Kilkee, Co. Clare Killala, Co. Mayo Killybegs, Co. Donegal Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford Knightstown, Co. Kerry Mulroy, Co. Donegal North Aran, Co. Galway Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork Oysterhaven, Co. Cork Rosslare, Co. Wexford Seven Heads, Co. Cork Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork Toe Head, Co. Cork Tory Island, Co. Donegal Tramore, Co. Waterford Waterville, Co. Kerry Westport, Co. Mayo Wicklow Youghal, Co. Cork

Race No.	Time	Group	Event	Round	North Station	South Station	Next Race
1	9:30	WC1	WC1 4X+	QF1	Commercial A	Commercial B	16
2	9:35	MJ16X	MJ16 1X	QF1	Commercial, Lynch, M	Commercial, Meehan, E	39
3	9:40	MJ16X	MJ16 1X	QF2	3 Castles, Clune, O	3 Castles, Quinn, R	39
4	9:45	MJ16X	MJ16 1X	QF3	3 Castles, Irwin, A	3 Castles, McKnight, T	40
5	9:50	WJ16X	WJ16 4X+	SF1	Athlone B	NewRoss	41
6	9:55	WJ16X	WJ16 4X+	SF2	Athlone A	Commercial	41
7	10:00	WI	W Int 4+	SF1	Commercial	DULBC A	43
8	10:05	WI	W Int 4+	SF2	Carlow	DULBC B	43
9	10:10	MX	M Int 1X	QF1	Commercial, Gahan, N	UCDBC, Toland, S	33
10	10:15	MX	M Int 1X	QF2	UCDBC, Griffin, A	Commercial, Groome, F	33
11	10:20	MX	M Int 1X	QF3	Commercial, O'Toole, F	Commercial, Joyce, D	34
12	10:25	MX	M Int 1X	QF4	Commercial, Healy, J	Commercial, Baskerville, R	34
13	10:30	MC1	MC1 8+	SF1	Commercial A	UCDBC	69
14	10:35	WC1X	WC1 1X	SF1	Commercial, Edwards, C	NewRoss, Janet, W	47
15	10:40	WC1X	WC1 1X	SF2	Commercial, O'Neill, S	NewRoss, Doyle, J	47
16	10:45	WC1	WC1 4X+	SF1	Commercial A	Athlone	49
17	10:50	WC1	WC1 4X+	SF2	Carlow	Neptune	49
18	10:55	MJ16X	MJ16 4X+	SF1	Commercial A	NewRoss	50
19	11:00	MJ16X	MJ16 4X+	SF2	Commercial B	3 Castles	50
20	11:05	WJ15	WJ15 4X+	SF1	NewRoss	Carlow	65a
21	11:10	WJ15	WJ15 4X+	SF2	Commercial	Athlone	65a
22	11:15	WJ16X	WJ16 2X	SF1	NewRoss A	Commercial	51
23	11:20	MSX	MS2X	SF1	Commercial B	UCDBC	67
24	11:25	MSX	MS2X	SF2	Commercial A	Commercial C	67
25	11:30	WN	WN 8+	SF1	DULBC A	DULBC B	64
26	11:35	MJ15X	MJ15 4X+	SF1	Commercial C	NewRoss	67a
27	11:40	MJ15X	MJ15 4X+	SF2	Commercial B	Commercial A	67a
28	11:45	WS	WS4+	F	DULBC	Commercial
29	11:50	MC1	MC1 4+	F	UCDBC	Commercial
30	11:55	MS	MS 2-	F	Neptune	Belfast RC
31	12:00	WJ18 X	WJ18 2X	SF1	Neptune A	Neptune B	52
32	12:05	WJ18 X	WJ18 2X	SF2	Athlone	Commercial	52
33	12:10	MX	M Int 1X	SF1	Commercial, Gahan, N	Commercial, Groome, F	59
34	12:15	MX	M Int 1X	SF2	Commercial, O'Toole, F	Winner 12	59
35	12:20	WJ14	WJ14 4X+	F1	Athlone	NewRoss	1,000m
36	12:25	WJ14	WJ14 4X+	F2	Commercial	Carlow	1,000m
37	12:30	MJ14	MJ14 1X	F	Commercial, Hanley, R	Commercial, Keane, R	1,000m
38	12:35	WC1	WC1 8+	SF1	Commercial	DULBC	65
39	12:40	MJ16X	MJ16 1X	SF1	Commercial, Meehan, E	3 Castles, Clune, O	66
40	12:45	MJ16X	MJ16 1X	SF2	3 Castles, McKnight, T	3 Castles, Gilheany, D	66
41	12:50	WJ16X	WJ16 4X+	F	Athlone B	Commercial
42	12:55	W Int 1X	W Int 1X	F	DULBC, O'Neill, H	3 Castles, Feeley, A
43	13:00	WI	W Int 4+	F	Commercial	DULBC B
44	13:05	MC1	MC1 4X+	F	DUBC	Commercial
45	13:10	MJ15X	MJ15 2X	F	Commercial	3 Castles
46	13:15	WN	WN 4X+	F	Carlow	Commercial
47	13:20	WC1X	WC1 1X	F	Commercial, Edwards, C	Commercial, O'Neill, S
49	13:30	WC1	WC1 4X+	F	Commercial A	Neptune
50	13:35	MJ16X	MJ16 4X+	F	Commercial A	3 Castles
51	13:40	WJ16X	WJ16 2X	F	Commercial	NewRoss B
52	13:45	WJ18 X	WJ18 2X	F	Neptune A	Athlone
53	13:50	WJ15	WJ15 1X	F1	Commercial, Keogh, A	NewRoss, Flanagain, C
54	13:55	WJ15	WJ15 1X	F2	3 Castles, Darker, S	Commercial, Dolan, K
55	14:00	WJ15	WJ15 1X	F3	NewRoss, Brown, L	NewRoss, Coughlan, A
56	14:05	M Int	M Int 4+	F	UCDBC	DUBC
57	14:10	MJ168	MJ16 8+	F	Commercial A	Commercial B
58	14:15	WS8	WS 8+	F	DULBC A	DULBC B
59	14:20	MX	M Int 1X	F	Commercial, Gahan, N	Commercial, O'Toole, F
60	14:25	MJ15X	MJ15 1X	F1	Commercial, Holton, A	NewRoss, Becker, J
61	14:30	MJ15X	MJ15 1X	F2	Commercial, Browne, K	NewRoss, Sutton, L
62	14:35	WJ14	WJ14 2X	F1	NewRoss A	Carlow	1,000m
63	14:40	WJ14	WJ14 2X	F2	NewRoss B	Athlone	1,000m
64	14:45	WN	WN 8+	F	DULBC A	Commercial
65	14:50	WC1	WC1 8+	F	DULBC	Neptune
65a	14:55		WJ15 4X+	F	NewRoss	Commercial
66	15:00	MJ16X	MJ16 1X	F	3 Castles, Clune, O	3 Castles, Gilheany, D
67	15:05	MSX	MS2X	F	Commercial B	Commercial A
67a	15:10		MJ15 4X+	F	Commercial C	Commercial A
68	15:15	WJ168	WJ16 8+	f	Commercial	Athlone
69	15:20	MC1	MC1 8+	F	Commercial A	Commercial B
70	15:25	MSX	MS 1X	F	Commercial, Maher, M	Commercial, Dowling, C

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