A Department of Transport official says the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard will remain off the board until assurances are provided that it’s safe for the volunteers to return to work.
In early November, 6 members of the Doolin Coast Guard resigned, resulting in the Irish Coast Guard taking the unit off the board, despite 12 volunteers remaining committed to the branch.
Responding to a question from Fine Gael Deputy Joe Carey at this week’s Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting, the Acting Director of the Coast Guard at the Department of Transport explained it was deemed unsafe to allow the remaining volunteers to continue working given the internal issues they’ve experienced within the unit.
Eugene Clonan stands firm that the decision won’t be reversed until it’s proven safe for the volunteers.