Coast Guard legislation
Deputy Brassil pointed out that the Coast Guard was the only primary response agency without legislation. The Minister said no further legislation was proposed, warning that any future law would have to preserve the organisation's voluntary ethos.
There is a glaring anomaly in the legislation that covers the primary response agencies in Ireland. There are four primary response agencies: fire services, ambulance services, the Garda and the Irish Coast Guard.
The Irish Coast Guard is the only primary response agency that is not legislated for in this State. When does the Minister propose to correct this anomaly?
Comment on this
It is not proposed to provide further legislation for the Coast Guard. As the Deputy will know better than I will, given the enormously important role the Coast Guard fulfils in his county and constituency, the organisation has a very strong voluntary basis and ethos. We would have to take great care in legislating in the future for the organisation for fear of undermining that approach.