North Wexford TD Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin Calls for Urgent Action on Courtown Coastguard Working Conditions

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, TD for North Wexford, has called for immediate improvements to the working conditions of the Courtown-Arklow Coastguard Unit which plays a critical role in safeguarding the Wicklow-Wexford coastline. Speaking in the Dáil Deputy Ó Súilleabháin highlighted the extraordinary work carried out by the 23 members of the unit who put their lives at risk to protect others, often under dangerous and substandard conditions. For years, the team operated out of a cramped 10x20 ft room in Courtown with no toilets and shared facilities including a single sink for both preparing refreshments and cleaning up after emergencies. While the Coastguard Unit has temporarily relocated to the local Parochial House Deputy Ó Súilleabháin stressed the urgent need for a permanent modern base to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the team. He pointed out that discussions regarding a new Coastguard station have been ongoing for several years between the Department of Transport and the Office of Public Works (OPW), with no clear timeline for completion. In his speech, the TD questioned whether the potential sites identified in Courtown are still valid under the new Coastguard Building Strategy and whether the process will be delayed further if no suitable properties are found. The TD also raised serious concerns about the under-recording of 24-hour shifts across the country, leading to extreme fatigue and safety risks for Coastguard staff: “This is a reckless approach to people’s lives,” Ó Súilleabháin said. “The state is simply not valuing our Coastguard members who do life-saving work under inadequate conditions.”