Vol. 506 No. 6
28 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the measures, if any, available to marine survey office inspectors if they are not satisfied with compliance of safety standards of a passenger vessel on inspection; the number of inspectors employed in the marine survey office; the number of inspection checks carried out after a licence or certificate was issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16033/99]
The owner or operator of every passenger vessel is statutorily required to have a passenger ship certificate or passenger boat licence in respect of the vessel. Certificates and licences may be issued following a survey by my Department's marine survey office. To operate a passenger vessel without a certificate or a licence is an offence under the Merchant Shipping Acts.
Passenger certificates, in respect of vessels carrying more than 12 passengers, are issued annually following a dry dock survey. Passenger boat licences, in respect of vessels carrying 12 or fewer passengers, are issued every two years following a survey. In either case, the owner is required to notify the Marine Survey Office of any change to the condition of the vessel after completion of the survey.
Large passenger vessels, operating year round services, are visited by a surveyor two to three times per annum in addition to the annual survey. Apart from the annual survey, smaller passenger vessels, operating summer only services, are usually subject to one other check in high density passenger areas, during peak season. Spot checks are also carried out by the gardaí on a regular basis with regard to the number of passengers being carried on passenger vessels.
There are 12 surveyors and three trainee surveyors employed in the Marine Survey Office of my Department.
