asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the safety checks that are in existence with regard to boats plying for hire off this country's coast; the arrangements for licensing these boats; and if there is a registration or training qualification for owners and/or boatmen who carry passengers on trips to various venues around the coast.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Boat Safety.
13.
In accordance with the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts no mechanically propelled vessel may proceed to sea or on any voyage or excursion with more than twelve passengers on board, unless there is in force in respect of the vessel a valid passenger certificate issued by me in accordance with those Acts.
This certificate must be displayed on the boat for all to see. It sets out the maximum number of passengers permitted to be carried, the limits beyond which the vessel is not to ply, the life-saving and fire-fighting equipment which must be kept on board, the name of the vessel and its owner, the period of validity of the certificate and any special conditions applying to the operation of the vessel. A passenger certificate is valid for a maximum of one year.
Such passenger certificates are issued only after survey of the vessel by a marine surveyor of my Department and will not be issued unless the surveyor is satisfied as to the competency of those navigating the vessel. It is a condition of the certificate that my Department be notified if the man in charge of the boat is changed. The competency of the boatman is established by the surveyors by means of appropriate tests. Passenger vessels proceeding to ports outside the State, or foreign passenger vessels going between places in the State, are required to carry officers certificated under the Merchant Shipping Acts. The relevant educational courses are provided by the Cork Regional Technical College and the certificates are awarded on the results of examinations held by my Department.
These requirements apply to vessels engaged in carrying passengers, whether or not the passengers are carried for hire or reward. Breaches of the requirements render the owner or master of the vessel liable to penalties under the Merchant Shipping Acts.
Enforcement of the law relating to passenger certificates is a matter for the Gardaí, who are notified of the issue of every certificate and of the plying limits, number of passengers and the expiry date of the certificate. Apart from this, Garda authorities responsible for coastal areas are aware of the statutory provisions and of the necessity to keep the operations of passenger-carrying boats under observation. It is, of course, open to any member of the public to report to the Gardaí or to my Department, any suspected breach of the Acts in relation to passenger certificates.
Boats plying for hire which do not come within the scope of the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts relating to passenger certificates may be made the subject of bye-laws or licensing by the appropriate local authority under the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, or the Public Health (Amendment) Act, 1907.
Can the Minister tell me the number of licences in force at present and the procedures, if any, for making regular checks on the standards laid down in the Merchant Shipping Acts in relation to these boats? Can the Minister indicate the position in regard to boats that carry less than 12? I understood him to say that it was in excess of 12 people. Does the Minister agree that there is a great degree of abuse in relation to the carrying of day trippers and that there is no control over the standards of the boats, the equipment they carry and the training of the people in charge of them?
I do not have any information on the number of licences. I can let the Deputy have that information if he so wishes.
I suspect that the number of licences is not as high as the number of boats; that many of them operate without licences.
Yes, that is true in relation to boats which carry less than 12 passengers. In regard to the condition of the boats, the passenger certificate is valid for one year only.
Am I right in assuming that there is no surveillance of any kind on boats that carry less than 12 people? When a tragic accident occur we will all wring our hands.
I thought it rather strange that the number of passengers should be 12 or more. I inquired about the matter and discovered that the problem was one of not knowing where to draw the line. A figure was decided upon which, I understand, is acceptable in most countries. In the circumstances, the problem is to decide where to draw the line. It is not possible to assume responsibility for every small boat.
Every boat licensed in Ireland should work within certain standards.
We are having a chat across the floor.
It is a very serious matter.
I will certainly look into the number for the Deputy.
I do not care how serious it is. It is not in order and we have had too much of it.