THE IRISH Institute of Master Mariners and the chairman of the Cruinniú na mBád traditional boat festival have appealed to the Government not to abandon the national sail training programme.
The appeals were made on the eve of the 31st annual Cruinniú na mBád festival, which is due to open in Kinvara tomorrow.
Capt Michael McCarthy, president of the Irish Institute of Master Mariners, said that young people from all walks of life, including an entire generation of ship's captains, port pilots, port managers and surveyors, had spent their early days at sea on Asgard II.
The State training brigantine sank off the northwest French coast last September, and Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea decided against salvage in favour of building a replacement with the €3.8 million insurance payment.
However, this has been put on hold, pending a Government decision on recommendations in the McCarthy report on public expenditure and staffing.
It has suggested shelving the commissioning of a replacement ship, and abandoning the national sail training programme which costs €800,000 annually to run.
"To abandon the sail training programme and postpone replacing Asgard II would be very short-sighted," Capt McCarthy told The Irish Times.
Dr Michael Brogan, chairman of Cruinniú na mBád, said it would be disgraceful to abandon the sail training programme.
“We need sail training, which has enormous socio-economic benefits,” he said.
“There has been a significant upsurge in interest among young people in traditional craft, and we need to nurture that,” Mr Brogan added.
An initial fleet gathering of traditional craft scheduled for Galway today has been postponed as a mark of respect to the late Paul Healion, one of Ireland's leading racing cyclists and nephew of hooker revivalist Johnny Healion, skipper of the Morning Star.