asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the number of Irish fishing vessels officially inspected by officers of his Department in 1977, to check that they were provided with all regulation safety equipment; the condition of such equipment; and the number of such inspections as a percentage of the total number of purchased fishing vessels registered in the State.
Written Answers. - Fishing Vessel Inspections.
464.
The number of Irish fishing vessels inspected by the Marine Survey Service of my Department was 103 in 1977. The safety equipment in all cases complied with the statutory requirements relating to such equipment. These inspections represented 5.5 per cent of the total number of fishing vessels registered in the State at the end of 1977, which was 1,866.