asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state how many ships have cleared from Saorstát ports from November 26th, 1925, to date without having on board wireless operators and watchers to the number and with the qualifications prescribed under the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Act, 1919, and whether he has taken or proposes to take any action in the matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MERCHANT SHIPPING (WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY) ACT—APPLICATION OF PROVISIONS TO SAORSTAT SHIPPING.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
Particulars are not available as to the number of ships which have cleared from Saorstát ports since November 26th last without operators. Information on the point could not be obtained without considerable trouble, and any figures that might be supplied from different harbours would only be approximate. I am aware that a strike of wireless operators has been in operation, and that consequently masters and owners of vessels have had difficulties in complying with the legal requirements. In such cases—that is, where owing to the strike the wireless apparatus provided on board ship has been rendered inoperative, I have come to the conclusion that my Department would not be justified in prosecuting masters or owners or in detaining the ships. These are the legal remedies applicable to non-compliance with the requirements of the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Act, 1919.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether any rules under the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Act, 1919, are in force in Saorstát Eireann, and whether any, and if so, what, exemptions from the obligations imposed by that Act have been given.
The Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Act, 1919, and the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Rules, 1920, made under the Act, are applicable in Saorstát Eireann. No exemptions from the obligations imposed by the Act are in force; but in the circumstances of the strike, while no exemptions have been given, it is not proposed to prosecute owners or to detain ships.
Has the Minister had his attention drawn to the number of accidents that have been caused through storm in the last week or two and the effect of having wireless operators on those ships, and is he aware of the danger to ships and passengers when there are no wireless operators aboard?
Yes.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state for the information of the travelling public the names of the shipping companies whose passenger ships when clearing from Irish ports have on board fully qualified wireless operators as required by law.
The information requested could only be obtained by inquiry at the different ports, and I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by obtaining and publishing it.
Does the Minister allow ships to pass without complying with the law? Does he take any notice of whether they have wireless operators on board or not? Is there any special notice taken of the fact that a particular ship has not a wireless operator on board?
There would be particular notice taken of that in the instances in which such information could be readily obtained; but it must be obvious to the Deputy that most of the ships concerned are only ships which take in this country as a port of call and not as a port of destination or a port of origin. The enforcement of an Act here which is not enforced at the ports from which the ships start, and to which they are destined. would mean that boats would simply pass without calling here at all.
Will the Minister, taking those statements into account. give us a return of the ships that leave Irish ports without wireless operators on board, as distinct from ships calling at Irish ports?
If the question refers to ships which have their crews taken on in Ireland, I have to say that no such ship has left since the 26th of November without a wireless operator.
I am not speaking about ships that have their crews taken on in Ireland, but ships that are cleared from Irish ports, as distinct from ships calling to Ireland.
There will have to be a distinction made. If a ship sets out from any port in Great Britain, and if the Board of Trade there, in consequence of the strike, think fit not to enforce this Act, I hold that that fact prima facie establishes a case for not enforcing the Act here.
Is the Minister aware of any ships regularly sailing out of Irish ports to English or Scottish ports that have not a wireless operator on board?
Sailing out of?
Yes, sailing out of Irish ports to English or Scottish ports?
I believe there are ships sailing out of Irish ports.
Is the Minister asserting that he is not prepared to put-into operation the law in respect of those ships?
Quite distinctly I am asserting that.
Can the Minister not compel all ships registered in Ireland to have wireless operators?
I will deal with those ships when they come to my notice and when they fall within the bounds of this question.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he has made, or proposes to make, any representations to the British Government in view of the danger to the safety of Saorstát citizens who are passengers or members of the crew on ships which it is alleged are allowed to leave British ports without wireless operators and watchers or with imperfectly qualified operators.
No representations of the nature indicated have been made to the British Government, nor could representations of the kind be properly addressed to another Government.
This question was put to the Minister for External Affairs, but I was advised that the right Minister to name was the Minister for Industry and Commerce. Am I to take it that the Minister's answer is that it is not competent for a member of the Executive Council to make representations to the British Board of Trade or the British Government in such a matter?
The question of competency is one thing. The question whether a Department thinks it is advisable to insist to a British Department how that British Department should do what the Deputy thinks is its business, is a different thing.
Has the Minister not taken into account the risk to Saorstát citizens who are passengers or members of the crew?
Yes.
Do the strikers take that into account?
Yes.