| Summary of events 1998-2008 |
| January 2011 | Staff have been advised that works in installing new equipment into existing operations room is to commence sometime in Q2 of 2011. This will in involve installing new ICS equipment into the existing operations room giving 4 operations positions. |
| Update - 1st July 2010 | |
| 2nd December 2008 | Press release: IRISH COAST GUARD MARINE RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRES The Minister of State for Transport, Noel Ahern T.D. today announced that the Government, having considered the matter fully and taken into account the various views expressed has decided to retain the present configuration for the delivery of Marine Rescue Co-ordination. This is based on a Marine Rescue center in Dublin and two Rescue Sub Centres at Malin Head and Valentia. The need to urgently upgrade the existing equipment has been recognised and the purchase of three Integrated Communication System (ICS) cores at a cost of approx 2.5 million euro has been approved. One will be located at each centre. Tendering procedures for the necessary radio equipment is at an advanced stage and delivery and installation of the first Integrated Communication System (ICS) core in Dublin will be in late 2009 with work at Malin and Valentia to commence in 2010. This phasing ensures that full national coverage is maintained while development work takes place. Each ICS core will be linked to a range of Coast Guard remote aerial sites which will ensure the capacity to retain full national coverage should on of the centres go offline. This decision means that the capacity and flexibility of the national maritime and rescue communications system will be considerably enhanced. The Minister commented that this represents a significant step in the ongoing development of maritime safety services in Ireland which will continue in the years ahead. |
| 2nd July 2008 | The 'Joint committee on transport' held a discussion on the marine rescue centres. Click to view transcript on the debate. |
| May 2008 | A delegation from Inishowen met Minister Dempsey and were informed that the no final decision had been taken yet.. 28th May: Staff were informed by the Secretary General, Julie O'Neill the following: - A decision was taken at a government meeting to relocate a different section of the department of transport to Drogheda as part of the decentralisation process. As a result of this the OPW have agreed to seek a permanent location in the Dublin area for all Maritime Safety functions currently located in Leeson Lane (This is to include the dublin marine rescue centre). |
| March 2008 | Coast Guard Management informed staff that an number of sites for a new centre were been looked at in the Shannon area. |
| 27th February 2008 | A two hour debate in the Seanad got full cross party support to keep Malin Head and Valentia rescue centres open. Minister Noel Dempsey is the take all these issues into consideration before any final decision is made. |
| 15th February 2008 | A delegation from Inishowen met Minister Dempsey and gave a response to this submission. They argued the case to keep Malin Head Rescue centre open. |
| January 2008 | Hundreds attended a public meeting in Malin Head in support for the station. 'Submission to the minister on future Coordination Centre Structure' was released. - This document was drawn up by a senior civil servants in the Department of Transport to be used as a basis to close Malin Head and Valentia as coordination centres. |
| November 2007 | Coast Guard management advised staff that the Minister of Transport, Mr Noel Dempsey T.D. had decided that both the Marine Rescue centres at Malin Head and Valentia were to be closed as rescue centres and that two new centres were to be set up, one in Drogheda and the other somewhere on the west coast. |
| November 2004 | Staff were advised by the then Assistant Secetary that proposals for upgrading Malin Head and Valentia were to be finalised in mid 2005 and expected to be in operation by mid 2007. |
| December 2003 | As part of decentralisation a decision was taken to move Coast Guard and Maritime safety staff from Dublin to Drogheda. (This plan was not to include MRCC Dublin). |
| July 2003 | A decision was taken by Minister Dermot Ahern to close MRCC Dublin and to upgrade Malin Head and Valentia Coast guard centres. - Coast Guard Management were asked to draw up plans on what was required for this two centre operation. A Quote from Minister Ahern ' My objective is that the remaining two centres at Malin Head and Valentia will be developed to handle all emergencies around the coast, on inland waters and in relation to mountain, cliff and cave rescue'. |
| 2002 | Deloitte & Touche completed a report on the Irish Coast Guard. - They recommended a two-centre operation. - They said that the governments policy of decentralisation and regional development should be taken into account when making any decisions regarding the location of these centres. |
| 1998 | Price Waterhouse Coopers carried out an expenditure review of the Irish Marine Emergency Service (Now called the Irish Coast Guard). |