Irish Underwater Council | |
| Abbreviation | CFT |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1963 |
| Legal status | Guarantee Company Without Share Capital. |
| Purpose | Recreational diving, diver training, underwater sports & sciences national governing body |
| Headquarters | Dún Laoghaire, Ireland |
| Location |
|
Region served | Ireland andNorthern Ireland |
| Membership | 3000 member & 84 clubs (2004)[citation needed] |
| Affiliations | CMAS CMAS Europe EUF |
| Website | http://diving.ie/ |
Comhairle Fo-Thuinn (pronounced[ˈkoːɾˠl̠ʲəfˠɔˈhiːnʲ];Irish for "Under-Wave Council";CFT), also known asIrish Underwater Council (IUC) and trading asDiving Ireland, is thenational governing body for recreational diving and underwater sports in Ireland.
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: aTechnical Commission which sets standards and tests for diving courses offered by its member clubs; aMedical Commission which advises on diving medical standards, treatment of diving medical conditions and monitors developments in hyperbaric medicine; aSporting Commission which organisesunderwater sports, photography and an event known as thenational gala; and aScientific 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 inNorthern Ireland.[2] It is incorporated as aGuarantee Company Without Share Capital under the name 'Comhairle Fo-Thuinn – Irish Underwater Council'.[3]
CFT is recognised by theIrish Sports Council as the national governing body for recreational diving and underwater sports in the Republic of Ireland.[4]It is the Irish representative toConfédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques with affiliations to the Sports, Technical and Scientific Committees.It is also a member ofCMAS Europe and theEuropean Underwater Federation.[5][6][7] CFT is both a supporter and a member of the National Steering Group of theMarine Conservation Society-co-ordinatedSeasearch 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]
As of October 2013,underwater hockey is the onlyunderwater sport supported by CFT.[10] The CFT oversees competition between clubs and the national team.
In the 2022 UWH Celtic Cup competition, the Irish A Team came 4th and the B Team finished 3rd.[11]
The CFT training program which is delivered by instructors based within its member clubs was structured as follows as of January 2013.[12][13]
Snorkel grades[edit]
| Scuba diver grades[edit]
| Instructor grades[edit]
| Speciality grades[edit]
| Speciality grades[edit]
|
The following equivalencies were those in place as of January 2013.[14]
| CMAS | CFT |
|---|---|
| CMAS 1 Star Diver | CFT Diver 1 Star |
| CMAS 2 Star Diver | CFT Diver 2 Star |
| 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 |
| CFT National Instructor |
The CFT obtainedCEN certification from theEUF certification body in 2006.[15]
| Summer Olympic Sports |
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| Winter Olympic Sports |
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| Other IOC Recognised Sports |
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| Other Sports | ||
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| Other | |
