asked the Minister for Transport and Power what consideration has been given to the possibility of extending the limits within which Irish coasting (home trade) masters' and mates' certificates are valid for use, so as to enable Irish coastal shipping to compete more favourably with Dutch and other coasters that can trade on certain conditions to the Mediterranean and to West Africa.
Written Answers. - Limit of Validity of Irish Masters' and Mates' Certificates.
25.
Irish vessels plying outside normal home trade limits, i.e. between the Elbe in the North and Brest in the South are required by law to carry a Master and at least one mate duly certificated for foreign voyages, together with duly certificated engineers where appropriate. I am, however, empowered by statute to grant exemption from compliance with any of these requirements, but only where I am satisfied that the alternative arrangements proposed are as effective as, or more effective than, actual compliance. In pursuance of this power I have already granted certain general exemptions which, in effect, permit Irish home trade vessels, subject to certain conditions, to ply within wider home trade limits than Brest and the Elbe. In addition, I am prepared to consider individual applications for exemption from full requirements for foreign-going voyages outside these limits as extended but the over-riding consideration in dealing with all such applications must remain the safety of the vessel and her crew. I am advised that a general extension of the validity of home trade certificates, as suggested by the Deputy, could not be justified on safety grounds.
Any exact comparison in these matters between ourselves and other countries who have different legal systems in regard to manning, certificates of competency and related matters is very difficult, if not impossible, but I have no reason to believe that vessels of such countries are, in general, subjected to less stringent safety provisions than are our own.