'Government negligence putting Coast Guard crew safety at risk' - McGuinness

Government negligence is putting Coast Guard air crew safety at risk, according to Waterford Sinn Féin TD, Deputy Conor McGuinness.

Commenting on the matter he said the Government and the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) have serious questions to answer following reports that Coast Guard helicopter crews are being subjected to unsafe working-hour arrangements.

Deputy McGuinness, who chairs the Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs also serves as Sinn Féin spokesperson on Rural Affairs, Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

Deputy McGuiness said the revelations highlight “a shocking failure of oversight and leadership from Government and the regulator".

He also confirmed that he has invited the Irish Coast Guard to appear before the Oireachtas Committee this month to discuss safety at sea, including concerns around working time, fatigue, and regulatory oversight and he has also written to the IAA and to the Minister for Transport to raise his “very serious concerns” about the matter.

“The Irish Aviation Authority has a statutory duty to ensure that all aviation operations are conducted in full compliance with safety standards," said Deputy McGuinness.

"Yet we now have a situation where 24-hour rosters are being logged as just 16.5 hours worked — a sleight of hand that reduces costs for employers but increases the risks faced by crews,” Deputy McGuinness said.

“These are the same crews who risk their lives in the most dangerous conditions imaginable to save others at sea. They deserve proper protection, not loopholes and corner-cutting," he added.

"It is deeply alarming that crews themselves believe it is only a matter of time before there is a serious incident," said Deputy McGuinness.

"The regulator cannot stand over that, and neither can the Government," he added.

He went on to comment:“It seems that very little has been learned since the tragedies off Tramore in 1999 and off north Mayo in 2017. The loss of Rescue 116 was supposed to mark a turning point for safety culture and oversight in Irish search and rescue operations. Instead, we are witnessing a steady erosion of protections for those doing this critical work.” Deputy McGuinness, who as a Waterford councillor led the campaign that forced a Government U-turn on plans to remove Rescue 117 and the Waterford Airport search and rescue base from tender documents, said: "In Waterford and the wider South East, we know all too well how essential this service is - and how hard communities had to fight to keep it.” “The safety of our air crews and the reliability of our national rescue network are non-negotiable," he said.

"The Minister for Transport must act immediately to ensure that working-time arrangements fully comply with European law, and that the Coast Guard has the oversight, staffing and resources it needs," he added.

"This cannot be another case of kicking the can down the road until the next tragedy.” 

Commenting that the Government had "years to get this right", he said: "The message from crews is clear: the current system is unsafe. It’s time for accountability, and it’s time for change."

The Irish Aviation Authority was contacted about the matter.