asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number and net tonnage of ships engaged on the cross-Channel shipping services, which were transferred from Irish to British registration since 1939.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ships on Cross-Channel Services: Statistics.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (a) the number and tonnage of Irish registered vessels engaged in cross-Channel trade, and (b) the number of companies registered in Ireland engaged in cross-Channel shipping, the number of ships owned by these companies, and the number of such ships registered in Ireland.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
Particulars of registrations and transfers of ships are recorded in the Central Record kept at the Mercantile Marine Office, 27 Eden Quay, Dublin, which is open for inspection. The records are not classified according to the trade in which the ship may be engaged, which is, of course, subject to change from time to time.
For particulars of all ships transferred from Irish to British registration between 1st January, 1939 and 31st October, 1952 I would refer the Deputy to a reply to a similar question given on 12th November, 1952 (Volume 134, No. 10, columns 1274 and 1275 of the Official Report). Since 1st November, 1952, ten small vessels totalling 566 tons net have been transferred from the Irish to the British Register. I understand that 13 Irish-registered vessels with a total net tonnage of 10,186 tons are engaged in the regular cross-Channel services. Four companies engaged in the regular trade are registered in Ireland; 13 of the 15 vessels owned by these companies and operated on the regular cross-Channel services, are on the Irish register.