What the future holds for Irish Sail Training remains to be seen but with plans being discussed to procure a more durable vessel for use a new chapter looks set to begin... Unfortunately, the decision has now been taken by the Irish Government not to raise the Asgard II marking the end of an era for the vessel.
Statement by the Minister for Defence Mr. Willie O'Dea TD on Asgard II 23rd February 2009
At its last meeting the Board of Coiste An Asgard had a full discussion on the possibility of salvaging the Asgard II. The unanimous view of the Board was that a salvage operation should not be pursued any further. Having carefully considered the Board's report to me, I have accepted its recommendation.
Spending in the region of €2 million on a salvage effort, the outcome of which is uncertain, is something we cannot afford at this time. A real risk exists whereby more than €2 million could be expended on a salvage effort that proves unsuccessful or, following which, the vessel is found to be damaged beyond repair.
The fact is, that until the vessel is salvaged, it would not be possible to assess whether it can be restored and the cost of doing so. Clearly, the greater the damage, the higher the cost of restoration.
The Asgard II is a well-loved and well-regarded 30-year-old wooden vessel that would have ever-increasing maintenance costs in the years ahead. The Board was of the view that vessels that sink are "never the same" after restoration and are likely to have on-going maintenance problems. In addition, the possibility of increased regulatory requirements by the Department of Transport could add substantially to the cost of restoration.
The Board also took into account the view that parents of potential trainees (particularly those with no sailing experience) may be reluctant to allow their children to sail on a vessel that has sunk.
While the name "Asgard" has been associated with two noble and important vessels, it is also about sail training and introducing young people to the experience of sailing. My priority is to ensure the continuation of the sail-training scheme.
I have accepted the Board's recommendation to initiate planning for the procurement of a new vessel that will be similar in design to Asgard II but with a steel hull (a steel hulled vessel would be less expensive to build and maintain than a wooden hulled vessel). I would also hope that the future Asgard III would have facilities to cater for persons with physical disabilities, something the Asgard II could not.
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