Letter from the Chief Executive
1999 HAS BEEN a very significant year in the history of the
Irish Lighthouse Service.
Irish Lights traces its history back to 1786 when the Port of Dublin Act established a Board to oversee the development of Dublin Port. In 1810 this Board was made responsible for providing the necessary lights and seamarks required to promote trade to and from Ireland. In 1867 the Commissioners of Irish Lights were separated from the Dublin Port Board and continue to this day as the Statutory Authority for Marine Aids to Navigation in Ireland.
In recent times our relationships with Trinity House Lighthouse Service in England and Wales, and the Northern Lighthouse Board in Scotland, have developed into a strong working partnership for the benefit of all mariners.
This North-South and East-West feature of Irish Lights is recognised in the legislation passed following the Belfast Agreement which provides for the creation of six Implementation Bodies, one of which-The Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission-will incorporate the existing functions of the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
There is unfinished business in finalising the precise form of the new Commission and, while fully supportive of the Belfast Agreement, the present Board are determined to ensure that the new organisation will retain all that is best in the existing Commissioners of Irish Lights service.
The start of the 21st century could herald a new expanded role for this organisation. The commissioning of a new state of the art vessel named Granuaile will provide the means, not only of more effective offshore working on Aids to Navigation for Irish Lights, but also the capacity to undertake a variety of work on Aids to Navigation for ports, and other work such as offshore surveys and oil pollution clean- up operations.
The automation of our lighthouses was completed in 1997. Since then the Board has been seeking a solution to the future use of surplus houses. The recent agreement with the Irish Landmark Trust has secured the future of a significant number of these historic houses and, thanks to a Government Millennium Grant, they will now be restored and available for rent as quality holiday homes. Heritage projects at Mizen Head and Hook Head are also existing developments.
Radio Navigation is developing very rapidly at present. The Differential Global Positioning System (dgps) is proving to be very accurate and is nearing the end of the validation process. Eurofix, the independent system developed using Loran-C and gps, is also undergoing successful trials although, unfortunately, not in Ireland at present.
Many new challenges await the Service in the year 2000. We have a good team of dedicated employees and an excellent and interested Board. Hopefully the Irish Lighthouse Service will continue to provide a quality service to meet the ever higher standards of safety expected.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the year 2000.
T. M. Boyd
Chief Executive
Irish Lights traces its history back to 1786 when the Port of Dublin Act established a Board to oversee the development of Dublin Port. In 1810 this Board was made responsible for providing the necessary lights and seamarks required to promote trade to and from Ireland. In 1867 the Commissioners of Irish Lights were separated from the Dublin Port Board and continue to this day as the Statutory Authority for Marine Aids to Navigation in Ireland.
In recent times our relationships with Trinity House Lighthouse Service in England and Wales, and the Northern Lighthouse Board in Scotland, have developed into a strong working partnership for the benefit of all mariners.
This North-South and East-West feature of Irish Lights is recognised in the legislation passed following the Belfast Agreement which provides for the creation of six Implementation Bodies, one of which-The Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission-will incorporate the existing functions of the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
There is unfinished business in finalising the precise form of the new Commission and, while fully supportive of the Belfast Agreement, the present Board are determined to ensure that the new organisation will retain all that is best in the existing Commissioners of Irish Lights service.
The start of the 21st century could herald a new expanded role for this organisation. The commissioning of a new state of the art vessel named Granuaile will provide the means, not only of more effective offshore working on Aids to Navigation for Irish Lights, but also the capacity to undertake a variety of work on Aids to Navigation for ports, and other work such as offshore surveys and oil pollution clean- up operations.
The automation of our lighthouses was completed in 1997. Since then the Board has been seeking a solution to the future use of surplus houses. The recent agreement with the Irish Landmark Trust has secured the future of a significant number of these historic houses and, thanks to a Government Millennium Grant, they will now be restored and available for rent as quality holiday homes. Heritage projects at Mizen Head and Hook Head are also existing developments.
Radio Navigation is developing very rapidly at present. The Differential Global Positioning System (dgps) is proving to be very accurate and is nearing the end of the validation process. Eurofix, the independent system developed using Loran-C and gps, is also undergoing successful trials although, unfortunately, not in Ireland at present.
Many new challenges await the Service in the year 2000. We have a good team of dedicated employees and an excellent and interested Board. Hopefully the Irish Lighthouse Service will continue to provide a quality service to meet the ever higher standards of safety expected.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the year 2000.
T. M. Boyd
Chief Executive