Contrary to reports in recent months, the Department of Transport has said that there are still "no plans" to close the two Irish Coast Guard radio stations at Malin Head, north Donegal, and Valentia, Co Kerry.
The department was commenting after a meeting in Government buildings in Dublin yesterday between Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and a delegation from the Valentia community.
The delegation, which did not involve Valentia radio staff members, was accompanied by public representatives including Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue.
Communities in Malin and Valentia have expressed opposition to the reported proposal to close the stations under an Irish Coast Guard restructuring plan. However, the department says that there was "never any intention" to close either station, but to invest further in maritime safety by establishing two marine rescue co-ordination centres which would extend the network to four. These two centres would be based at the coast guard's new headquarters in Drogheda, Co Louth, and at a location yet to be decided on the west coast, it says. No staff would lose jobs, but it could not comment yet on whether there would be redeployment.
The Labour Party's Marine spokesman, Senator Michael McCarthy, has called on Mr Dempsey to "reverse" a "ludicrous decision" on closure. "At its most basic level the decision has a major flaw, in that it highlights the Government's total hypocrisy regarding its own regional development policy," Senator McCarthy said.
Former Kerry footballer Mick O'Connell and retired divisional controller at Valentia Gene Sullivan, along with Malin Head Fishermen's Co-op are also among those endorsing retention of stations at Valentia and Malin. Malin Head, the oldest operating radio station in Europe, employs 18 staff. There are 17 staff at Valentia Island.
A spokesman for the Minister said that he had listened to the views of the Kerry delegation. The department would proceed with a tendering programme for a new integrated communications systems equipment. This was for a "two-centre operation for delivery and commissioning in 2009".