asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce under what circumstances fees are charged by his Department to motor-boats carrying passengers.
PRIVATE NOTICE QUESTIONS. - FEES FOR PASSENGER-CARRYING MOTOR-BOATS.
Under Section 271 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, every motor-boat carrying more than twelve passengers must be surveyed at least once a year and must obtain from my Department a passenger certificate applicable to the trip or excursion on which the boat is engaged. Fees for the survey and the expenses of the surveyor must be paid by the owner of the boat. The scale of charges for motor-boats is at present under consideration with a view to some possible reduction. But there has been considerable evasion of their duty in the matter on the part of boat-owners, and I will have no alternative to enforcing it strictly in the future.
Boats plying for hire in State harbours controlled by the Board of Works, such as Howth and Dun Laoghaire, are required, whatever number of passengers they carry, to take out a licence from the Board of Works. At Howth this licence costs £5 for a motor-boat, but in the case of such a boat holding a passenger certificate from my Department the charge is only 2s. 6d.
I regard the obtaining by these motor-boats of a passenger certificate as a very necessary protection for the safety of the public.