§ 6. Lieut.- Colonel ARCHER-SHEEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will take immediate steps to afford the Trinity House Brethren the necessary protection for their lighthouse staff on the South-West coast of Ireland to enable them to carry out their highly important duties without molestation by Sinn Fein rebels?
§ Mr. AMERYThe question has been fully considered, but I regret that the Admiralty are not in a position to supply this protection.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEWhy is it not possible to garrison at least the Fastnett Lighthouse, which is the key of the Atlantic, as it is necessary that that lighthouse should be kept without any fear of having its service interrupted?
§ Mr. AMERYI admit that it is very desirable that that lighthouse should be protected. The actual lighting service has not been interfered with. I gather that the only service which has suffered is the fog signal service, owing to the stealing of explosives, but I am afraid that the Admiralty have not seen their way to make that protection a duty of the Navy.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEIs not the fog signal service actually carried out at the Fastnet Light itself? If that be the case, considering that the Fastnet is some miles from land, could not the Admiralty see that it is properly protected and looked after?
§ Mr. AMERYI will certainly discuss it further, but the Admiralty did go into the question very fully, and came to the conclusion that the protection was not a duty which they could undertake.