Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in September 2013 on 34 occasions out of 60 shifts. These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Belfast MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Stornoway MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland, Aberdeen, Liverpool or Holyhead. Every effort is made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more coastguards filling 28 vacancies and offering a further 31 jobs to candidates in the most recent round. With this and now that negotiations with the trade union have concluded on the terms and conditions for the new coastguard jobs, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.