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Fight continues to save Malin Head jobs 12.12.07

DISCUSSIONS about relocation or redundancy will begin shortly with the 17 staff at the Malin Head Coast Guard Station.
In reply to a Dáil question from Deputy Joe McHugh about the staff's future, Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey said the relocation of the Malin Head staff to either of the two new centres on the west and east coasts, would be on a voluntary basis.
Malin Head radio station set for closure under Government plans to restructure marine rescue services. But Deputy McHugh said the fight would continue to reverse the decision to close the Malin Head site as support grew for the workers.
"Due to the phenomenal public support the Malin Coast Guard Station has been receiving, I have set up a database for parties 
interested in the fight against the proposed closure," said Deputy McHugh. He said he would continue to inform the public with any updates.
He has demanded to know whether the tranche of new jobs that were proposed for Malin Head and Valentia in the Deloitte and Touche report would now be realised and if not, why?
Mr. Dempsey told him the Deloitte and Touche Irish Coast Guard Study made more than 100 recommendations for the future development of the Coast Guard service.
"One of these is the recommendation to reduce the number of rescue co-ordination centres from the current three to two. It was recommended that each location should be capable of supporting the entire IRCG national network and the building of two new centres was put forward as an option," he said. "The decision on location was left to the Department. I also confirmed that locating one on the east coast and one on the west coast is the preferred option and that the east coast centre should be co-located with the HQ for operational reasons."
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