Irish Coast Guard / Naval Service Merging thread

[knocker Closed Find all posts View Profile Close knocker]

So it would really be down to a change of crew, colour and maybe some gun mounts ?

[hptmurphy Commander in Chief Find all posts View Profile Close hptmurphy]

So it would really be down to a change of crew, colour and maybe some gun mounts

Not as easily as that. For ammunition you need magazines, strenghtened decks for weaons mounts, flood systems for magazines. small arms torage lockers...etc.. the cost would not justify conversion

[Jetjock Commandant Find all posts View Profile Close Jetjock]

So it would really be down to a change of crew, colour and maybe some gun mounts ?

Exactly what in Zulu's post lead you to that conclusion? :confused:

Gun mounts? Oh dear...

Did he not just say that the Fisheries vessels are suited to what they do and thats it or are my eyes failing me??

[ZULU Teuton Foot Soldier Find all posts View Profile Close ZULU]

I have to say that an umbrella group covering all maritime assets sounds like a positive idea, but only working on their individual strengths with inter agency support.

The Customs Cutter does a specific job in relation to drug interdiction, border protection??

Naval vessels patrol our economic exclusion zones, monitor fisheries offshore, provide rescue and recovery as well as army logistical support.

Fisheries are well, fisheries. Check net size, pots, fishing logs etc.

Coast guard provide rescue and recovery, environmental response.

Their functions are diverse for a diverse problem. Baliffs dont need gun mounts of civilian spec'd boats, not does the coast guard need to point .5 MG's at drowning sailors.

[DeV Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close DeV]

I have to say that an umbrella group covering all maritime assets sounds like a positive idea, but only working on their individual strengths with inter agency support.

The Customs Cutter does a specific job in relation to drug interdiction, border protection??

Fisheries are well, fisheries. Check net size, pots, fishing logs etc.

Coast guard provide rescue and recovery, environmental response.

The RNLI, community rescue boats, in some cases Civil Defence are also all involved in SAR.

All the above jobs are also done by the NS, they could very easily get rid of these other agencies and give the NS more resources.... it would provide better value for money.

[Laners Chief Casey Ryback Find all posts View Profile Close Laners]

It was tried on a smaller scale in the past with the Air Corps on board a Naval vessel and it never worked out , they didn't fancy being away from home for such long periods of time and it wont work again by mixing and matching different agencies, the personnel in the various agencies never singed up for anything other than what they are doing now .

[DeV Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close DeV]

The NS are legally allowed to conduct boardings & detentions for fishery protection, and drugs interdiction. Therefore all those jobs could be carried out by the NS.

I did hear that Gardai are carried for salmon patrols & arms interdiction??

[knocker Closed Find all posts View Profile Close knocker]

Would the air corps allow their casa aircraft to come directly under the naval service ?

[DeV Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close DeV]

Doesn't at the moment and does very well!

[Goldie fish Tim Horgan Find all posts View Profile Close Goldie fish]

Doesn't at the moment and does very well!

But only by day, monday to friday...:wink:

[seanhelm Private 2* Find all posts View Profile Close seanhelm]

The RNLI, community rescue boats, in some cases Civil Defence are also all involved in SAR.

All the above jobs are also done by the NS, they could very easily get rid of these other agencies and give the NS more resources.... it would provide better value for money.

There probably is a a case for merging the Civil Defence with present coastguard but why do you suggest getting rid of RNLI?
As i stated in an earlier post, the most amazing aspect of the RNLI is that it operates very efficiently in two different states with NO funding from central government. All funds are entirely from voluntary contributions, legacies etc. Definitely value for money. The RNLI could probably control SAR for both Ireland and Britain from their control room in Poole!!! If an RNLI boat goes off service, is damaged or suffers serious mechanical problems a replacement boat is sent from Poole within 24 hours ... and that includes quick replacement of the larger off shore boats such as the Severn or Trent classes. In addition RNLI have an excellent technicsl support service operating from Airside in Dublin at No cost to the state! They also have a quick response flood rescue team composed of volunteers from Ireland and Britian on 24 hour call to repond to any major flooding incident anywhere in the world or indeed here in Ireland!

[Goldie fish Tim Horgan Find all posts View Profile Close Goldie fish]

Watching Sea Patrol UK on Nat Geo recently, it brings home just how poor our overall coastguard service is. They have a Standby Tug available in the Channel at all times(as well as another to cover the northern approaches). Also, it was interesting to see that their Customs Cutter does more than just Customs. They also act as a Border Patrol/immigration control agency, in addition to many other roles. Perhaps we could follow this model?

[DeV Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close DeV]

But yet they have a different agency for immigration on land????

The standby tugs are on contract I think.

[pmtts Colonel Find all posts View Profile Close pmtts]

But yet they have a different agency for immigration on land????

The standby tugs are on contract I think.

Not for much longer! as of August 5th, 4,500 HM Revenue and Customs staff formally become part of the UK Border Agency.

The Coastguard tugs are owned by Klyne Tugs Ltd of Lowestoft. They provide the contract for the four ETVs. The Dover based ETV is jointly funded by the French.

[spud68 CQMS Find all posts View Profile Close spud68]

The merging of the coastguard,fisheries,garda and naval service vessels is a very good idea .
The minor points about weather the units will be painted grey or white is not one which should prevent the merging of all the states martime assets .
Making everything grey has the advantage there is already a way for civilians to work within the navy as reserve members.
The naval service has the largest fleet and has the ability to expand to take over the running and manning of the extra vessels.

The above is not without problems including some people finding their job has disappered, but for somewhere with a taxpaying population the size of a small city it needs to looked at .