Sir, - Your Editorial "Coastal Watch" (August 7th), concerning the provision of emergency towing vessels (ETV) and aerial patrol capability to protect Ireland's marine environment, can only be described as uninformed comment.
Your implication that the provision of £10 million in funding to the Irish Coast Guard for the above purpose is "believed to have given rise to inter-agency friction" is a figment of somebody's imagination. The fact is that the Irish Coast Guard and the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources are taking the lead in working with other Departments and agencies in identifying the most cost-effective means of acquiring ETV capacity and considering the options for the aerial surveillance. We have an open mind as to how these services are to be provided.
The Irish Coast Guard is responsible for response to all pollution incidents at sea and the ability to task and direct response assets in any operation, regardless of who operates them, is necessary to fulfil that responsibility.
In a similar manner, the Coast Guard has responsibility for search and rescue operations and tasks not only its own resources, but those declared to it by the RNLI, Air Corps and Community Inshore Rescue Service among others and regularly asks the Naval Service for assistance, which is freely given. All the services work as part of a team through the Irish Coast Guard and the combined efforts of this team gives Ireland a world class search and rescue capability. Pollution response should be no different.
We are currently engaging in an open and comprehensive process aimed at getting all views and advice on how best to manage, use, finance and locate an ETV capacity and how best to provide aerial surveillance.
Decisions on these will only be made following consultations, particularly with the Naval Service and the Air Corps. We look forward to exploring all options so that Ireland has available to it and uses most effectively both ETV and aerial patrol capacity as good as or better than other North Western European States.
Reporting of non-existent "friction" and inter-agency tensions, while it might make good press, does not help this process and does an injustice to all involved in it. - Yours, etc.,
Denis Maher, Press Officer, Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2.