Coast Guard Boats

The Coast Guard maintain boats at a number of its stations to assist in patrolling, transport, rescue and cliff recovery.

The Coast Guard maintains a fleet of boats around the country, principally for patrol, transport and assistance to shore units. Though specifically not always provided for rescue purposes, the boats will respond to provide assistance, if circumstances permit, as any other craft is obliged to do under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

The craft are semi-rigid (Rib) or inflatable type of between 4 -7.9 metres in length, powered by petrol out-board engines between 40 and 200 HP and are all capable of being trailer-transported for launching off a slipway or beach.

IRCG boats are deployed at selected stations to undertake the following functions:

Patrol

• to provide a fast search response along the coastline where a land-based search would be difficult or time consuming
• to extend the land-based mobile patrol facility to inshore, estuarial and coastal sites inaccessible by land with particular regard to incident prevention
• incident prevention by providing a water-borne patrol facility to inshore, estuarial and coastal sites of high activity and of commensurate high risk potential. The objective is to provide safety advice and to attempt to ensure timely action to prevent accidents
• patrol outside of incident prevention for: public relations and area familiarisation

Transport

• to fulfil requirements for the transport of equipment and personnel to the location of a coastline incident as quickly as possible
• to provide cost-effective transport arrangements, particularly in divisions with island communities for supervisory staff
• water-borne transport for the portage of personnel and equipment e.g. to off-island incidents or exceptionally to fulfil administrative transport requirements where it can be shown that this is justified on cost-effective grounds.
• transport during pollution and environmental protection response.

Rescue

• to provide a rescue facility in the absence of, or complimentary to, RNLI or CIRS cover. This rescue capability exists as a additional function of IRCG boats and units will be called out in this role as considered necessary in the interests of saving life. Rescue is co-incidental to any of the prime functions of Patrol and Transport

• Drogheda, Co Louth
• Howth, Co Dublin
• Greystones, Co Wicklow
• Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
• Crosshaven, Co Cork
• Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork
• Toe Head, Co Cork
• Goleen, Co Cork
• Castletownbere, Co Cork
• Kilkee, CoClare
• Dingle, Co Kerry
• Doolin, Co Clare
• Killaloe, Co Clare
• Costello Bay, Co Galway
• Westport, Co Mayo
• Achill Island, Co Mayo
• Killala, Co Mayo
• Killybegs, Co Donegal
• Bunbeg, Co Donegal
• Mulroy, Co Donegal
• Greencastle, Co Donegal
• Greenore, Co Louth