Comhairle Fo-Thuinn

Comhairle Fo-Thuinn
Irish Underwater Council
Abbreviation CFT
Formation 1963
Type NGO
Legal status Guarantee Company Without Share Capital.
Purpose Recreational diving, diver training, underwater sports & sciences
national governing body
Headquarters Dún Laoghaire, Ireland
Location
  • 78A Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire
Region served
Ireland and Northern Ireland
Membership
3000 member & 84 clubs (2004)
President
 Mike Orth
Main organ
 Executive Committee
Affiliations CMAS
CMAS Europe
EUF
Website http://diving.ie/

Comhairle Fo-Thuinn (CFT; pronounced [ˈkoːɾʲ.lʲə fˠɔ.hiːnʲ], Irish for "Under-Wave Council"), also known as Irish Underwater Council, is the national governing body for recreational diving and underwater sports in Ireland.

Organisation

CFT organises and promotes recreational scuba diving and snorkelling via a club system. It is administered by an executive committee is supported by the following four commissions: a Technical Commission which sets standards and tests for diving courses offered by its member clubs; a Medical Commission which advises on diving medical standards, treatment of diving medical conditions and monitors developments in hyperbaric medicine; a Sporting Commission which organises underwater sports, photography and an event known as the national gala; and a Scientific Commission which promotes underwater biology and archaeology. Its membership consists of both clubs and individuals which as of 2004 respectively totalled 3,000 and 84.[1] While the majority of its activities are in the Republic of Ireland, a small number of members and clubs are located in Northern Ireland.[2] It is incorporated as a Guarantee Company Without Share Capital under the name 'Comhairle Fo-Thuinn – Irish Underwater Council'.[3]

Recognition

CFT is recognised by the Irish Sports Council as the national governing body for recreational diving and underwater sports in the Republic of Ireland.[4] It is the Irish representative to Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques with affiliations to the Sports, Technical and Scientific Committees. It is also a member of CMAS Europe and the European Underwater Federation.[5][6][7] CFT is both a supporter and a member of the National Steering Group of the Marine Conservation Society-co-ordinated Seasearch program which seeks to 'gather information on seabed habitats and associated marine wildlife in Britain and Ireland through the participation of volunteer recreational divers'.[8][9]

Underwater sports

As of October 2013, underwater hockey is the only underwater sport supported by CFT with competition based in Dublin and Cork.[10]

Qualifications

The CFT training program which is delivered by instructors based within its member clubs was structured as follows as of January 2013.[11][12]

Snorkel grades

  • Snorkel Skills One
  • Snorkel Skills Two
  • Snorkel Guide

Scuba Diver grades

  • Trainee Diver
  • Club Diver
  • Rescue Diver
  • Leading Diver
  • National Diver

Instructor grades

  • Snorkel Instructor
  • Instructor
  • Examiner
  • Leading Instructor
  • National Instructor

Speciality grades

  • Nitrox diver
  • Diver First Responder
    (PHECC Cardiac First Responder)
  • Diver Coxswain
  • Advanced Nitrox Diver

Speciality grades

CMAS equivalencies

The following equivalencies were those in place as of January 2013.[13]

CMAS CFT
CMAS 1 Star Diver CFT Trainee Diver
CMAS 2 Star Diver CFT Club Diver
CMAS 3 Star Diver CFT Leading Diver
CMAS 4 Star Diver CFT National Diver
CMAS 1 Star Instructor CFT Instructor
CMAS 2 Star Instructor CFT Examiner
CMAS 3 Star Instructor CFT Leading Instructor
CMAS 4 Star Instructor CFT National Instructor

EUF Certification

The CFT obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2006.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Irish Underwater Council- Comhairle Fo Thuinn (CFT)". Marine Institute. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  2. ↑ "Join a Club". Comhairle Fo-Thuinn. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "IRISH COMPANY NAME: COMHAIRLE FO-THUINN – IRISH UNDERWATER COUNCIL". Vision-net.ie. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Underwater Sport". Irish Sports Council (An Chomhairle Spoirt). Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "COMHAIRLE FO THUINN". Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Les pays membres". CMAS Europe. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "non-profit distributing members". European Underwater Federation. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  8. ↑ "National Seasearch Project Aim and Objectives". Seasearch c/o Marine Conservation Society. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Who is Involved?". Seasearch c/o Marine Conservation Society. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Underwater Hockey". CFT. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  11. ↑ "Snorkelling Courses". Comhairle Fo-Thuinn. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Diving Courses". Comhairle Fo-Thuinn. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  13. ↑ "Diving courses". CFT. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "EUF Certified Training Systems/Training Organisations". EUF Certification International. Retrieved 30 September 2013.

External links

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