Madam, - I am the sister of Cpl Niall Byrne who lost his life with his three comrades after a search and rescue operation on July 2nd 1999 in Tramore, Co Waterford.
We have now learned with great sadness of the curtailment of the search and rescue squadron in Sligo, which has now left the north-west vulnerable. This sad state of affairs is due to the failure of senior officers in the Air Corps to address the genuine concerns of non-commissioned officers regarding safety and other issues.
The non-commissioned officers who worked alongside my brother are now suffering greatly. This abandonment of search and rescue is a gross insult to the four men who gave up their lives for this unit. - Yours, etc.,
AOIFE BYRNE, Watson Park, Killiney, Co Dublin.