asked the Minister for the Marine if the Government intend purchasing a salvage tug or entering a joint venture with the private sector to provide such a facility, in view of the extensive pollution threats around the Irish coastline in recent times from abandoned ships.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Salvage Tug.
4.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those involved in the control and management of the Yarrawonga incident. The co-operparticularly, the successful management of the Yarrawonga incident. The co-operation between my Department, its Marine Survey Office, the CRS in Valentia, MRCC, the Department of Defence, the Navy and Air Corps, the UK Coastguard and the US Air Force was an example of how things should be done.
Despite this success, it is the policy of my Department to review every incident to see if any lessons can be learned from incidents in which we are involved and this is being done.
I have certain reservations about the Deputy's suggestion. In the first instance, the responsibility for a vessel in difficulties and for any subsequent pollution it causes is that of the owner, not the State. The cost of chartering a tug which would be capable of handling most emergencies would be substantially in excess of £1 million a year. Specific emergencies would have specific requirements. Possession of any particular tug would not guarantee our ability to deal with all emergencies.
The Deputy will appreciate that to have a tug lying idle at the State's expense would place a burden on the taxpayer which would be difficult to justify.
I would like to be associated with the Minister's congratulations to all those involved in the air and sea rescue of the Yarrawonga.
I can appreciate the Minister's position in relation to this matter. Is there any possibility that the State would get involved with the private sector to in some way grant-aid a private operation because recently we experienced a very serious problem and the coastline could have been very badly polluted if the Yarrawonga had hit the coastline. It is just fortunate that it was not 100 miles closer to the coast. If it had been the Dutch tug might not have reached it in time and we would have had major pollution. The Minister and the Taoiseach were quick to acknowledge that on the occasion. I understand that the insurance involved in salvaging ships is quite considerable, so a private operation would be self-financing.
I am sorry to inform the Deputy that the time allocated for Priority Questions is now exhausted.
Would the Minister reconsider his and his Department's position on this issue?
The present arrangement whereby tugs, equipment and expertise can be chartered as required is probably more suitable, given the relatively small number of incidents. One has to consider whether we would be better advised and better equipped if we spent the kind of money that would be needed to provide additional equipment. There are two such tugs in the north-west area and our experience has been that it is less expensive and more efficient to charter what we need in particular circumstances.
We must now proceed to deal with other questions.