Divers honoured for assisting in vital search and rescue missions

LONG-SERVICE medals were presented yesterday to 96 voluntary search and rescue divers by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.

The divers who assist the Garda in search and rescue operations and in the recovery of bodies, were from 13 units across the State.

Mr Ahern, describing their efforts as “vital”, said all voluntary work was very important to the country.

“The Government encourages it as much as we can and we do. What these men and women do is vital because when somebody goes missing in rivers, canals, lakes, they drop everything and get time off work and they basically search 24/7 until the people are found. It’s important society recognises their contribution.”

It was the first time awards were presented to members of the units.

Among those honoured were: Timothy Carey, member of the Blackwater sub-aqua club, Fermoy, Co Cork, who has been in the search and rescue unit since he was 16.

“There are a lot of call-out jobs. We cover north Cork, east Cork, west Waterford and south Tipperary. I suppose 90 per cent of the time it’s missing people and generally we’re recovering bodies. And families would be by the riverside grieving because they can’t really start grieving until they have a body,” said Mr Carey.

“We can be lucky in some cases and get the person out before they die, but in Irish waters you go hypo-thermic very quickly.”

He said members paid for their own diving equipment, at about €1,000 for a kit, and sometimes they lost pay from work for the time they gave up.

Paddy Agnew, chairman of the Irish Underwater Council, Search and Recovery section, said local clubs also paid for vaccinations, training, counselling and boats.

“It is a free service to the State and the only funding we have got is some Lotto funding but that has stopped now. It’s mainly local fundraising and we have been providing the service for 30 years now,” said Mr Agnew.

“It would be timely to get some financial recognition, but this recognition today is important.”

Mr Agnew had lobbied for the awards as some recognition for search and recovery volunteers and said he hoped the event would be biennial from now on.