asked the Minister for the Marine the number of occasions on which the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre at Shannon Airport, County Clare has had to seek the assistance of RAF helicopters; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
8.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marine Search and Rescue Service.
5.
asked the Minister for the Marine if he has received the report prepared by the West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee; if he intends to act on any of the proposals made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
20.
asked the Minister for the Marine the number of lives lost through the sinking of fishing vessels or accidents on such vessels during the past five years; if he has satisfied himself with safety procedures on fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
29.
asked the Minister for the Marine the plans his Department has (1) to provide a proper and adequate marine search and rescue service for the west and north coasts (2) to introduce a new rescue co-ordinating structure and (3) to introduce a procedure for annual safety equipment surveys for all registered fishing vessels.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 8, 20 and Priority Question No. 29 together.
The number of lives lost as a result of fishing vessel incidents over the last five years was as follows: 1984, 0; 1985, 4; 1986, 8; 1987, 6; 1988 (to date), 5.
The Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre has sought the assistance of the Royal Air Force in marine search and rescue operations on the following number of occasions since 1982: 1982, 57; 1983, 70; 1984, 20; 1985, 93, 1986, 61 and 1987, 48. Co-operative effort of this kind is a feature of internal efforts of search and rescue.
Provisions regarding the safety of fishing vessels are laid down in the Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1983, and in rules and regulations made thereunder. As was pointed out to the Deputy in reply to a parliamentary question on this matter on 24 November 1987, this legislation covers such matters as safety equipment to be carried in a fishing vessel, registration of fishing vessels, manning and certification of crews, provision of radio installations, masters and safety of navigation.
In addition, the Fishing Vessels (Certification of Deck Officers and Engineer Officers) Regulations, will come into force on 1 September 1989. These regulations, which have been agreed in consultation with the industry, will require those fishing vessels of 16.5 metres in length and over which operate in the limited area and all fishing vessels which operate in the unlimited area to carry a specified number of deck officers, certificated in accordance with the regulations. Existing certificates of competency issued under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1984, will be treated as equivalent to specified certificates of competency issued under these regulations. Also, all fishing vessels of 750 kilowatt or more engine power will be required to carry a specified number of engineer officers certificated in accordance with the regulations. There is no provision under existing legislation which requires fishing vessels to carry engineer officers.
Provision is also made under the regulations for the issue of certificates of service to uncertificated engineer officers and deck officers serving in capacities which do not at present require the carriage of certificated officers, but which will on enactment of the new regulations.
At international level work is proceeding in redrafting the Torremolinos Convention on the Safety of Fishing vessels, which lays down uniform principles and rules concerning the construction and equipment of fishing vessels directed towards the safety of such vessels and their crews. The International Maritime Organisation's Maritime Safety Committee considered the matter at its 55th session in April of this year and approved, in general, proposals for the development of a protocol to the Convention. As a member of the IMO Ireland contributes to its work towards developing and harmonising maritime safety standards and regulations as between its members. When the Torremolinos Convention enters into force, my Department will examine their provisions with a view to their incorporation into domestic legislation.
As far as surveys are concerned, merchant shipping legislation requires fishing vessels to be measured for tonnage prior to registration. An inspection of safety equipment, that is, life-saving and fire-fighting appliances, is also carried out at this time. While existing legislation does not call for periodic inspections, fishing vessels are resurveyed when structural alterations are made. The Torremolinos Convention contains provisions regarding periodic inspections of fishing vessels and my Department are awaiting the final deliberations of the International Maritime Organisation before proceeding to draft the appropriate legislation.
So far as search and rescue is concerned the report of the West Coast Search and Rescue and Action Committee was formally presented to me on 14 September of this year, at which time I immediately referred it to the interdepartmental committee on the deployment of search and rescue helicopters, which has addressed those recommendations of the West Coast Committee which come within its terms of reference. The report of the interdepartmental committee is now under consideration by the Minister for Defence and myself and it will be presented to the Government very shortly.
Marine search and rescue operations within our area of responsibility are coordinated by the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre situated at Shannon Airport. The centre acts as a clearing house for all messages received during an operation and all new relevant information is evaluated and redirected to all appropriate units and agencies. A working group on MRCC Shannon comprising officials from the Department of Tourism and Transport, reported in September of this year. My Department are at present considering that report.
Because of the urgency and importance I attach to the efficiency and effectiveness of marine search and rescue operations I have established a special group comprising the public service agencies involved in search and rescue (including the RNLI) earlier this summer to review at regular intervals marine incidents, and to agree where possible, improvements to approach and procedures.
Is the Minister aware that safety has a very low priority among certain members of the fishing community, particularly among those on smaller fishing vessels which operate closer to land and that these vessels are subject only to infrequent random checks? Have the Minister's Department any proposals to ensure that the EPIRBS is fitted on all fishing vessels and all commercial and pleasure craft? The report of the Marine Rescue Service shows that there are great difficulties and that many problems arise due to the lack of proper radio equipment on these vessels.
We are fully aware that fishermen generally do not give safety a very high priority. I should like to avail of this opportunity to impress on people involved in the fishing industry the necessity to have the highest possible standard of safety equipment and to make any other arrangements that they can organise. We must stress at every possible opportunity the importance of fishermen undertaking these investments with regard to safe operation. In the new fisheries development plan which I launched yesterday we have indicated the desirability, in the training of skippers, of giving high priority to that whole area. This is something in which the fishing industry generally is becoming more interested. We must encourage the fishermen themselves to play an important role and give higher priority to this than has been the case.
Are there any specific proposals, or is there any intention of, grant-aiding small fishermen to instal these facilities? Is the Minister aware that the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre has no radio communication equipment capable of exercising direct and efficient control over search and air rescue facilities? There is an ambiguity, in that the coastal radio stations believe they exercise a radio co-ordinating function and the MRCC people believe that they should not. There is confusion in this regard and need for co-ordination. What definite and specific plans have the Minister's Department to solve this present problem?
There may be some anxiety concerning overall co-operation of effort in this area, but this has not been of any major significance. I initiated a committee, which I felt was important because there are so many agencies and people with responsibility in this area, to encourage the fullest co-operation at all times between them. There is no major difficulty in that area. In the context of the present overall review with the departmental committee and the recent report we received from the committee in the west of Ireland, there is a basis on which we can make some improvements. Some other developments are taking place which add a further dimension, for example, the automation of lighthouses means that in the future there may not be manned lighthouses and this gives further urgency to the case.
The Deputy will be aware that many agencies and many people are involved here and that much effort is put into the industry. What we have been endeavouring to do in the short time since our Department were established is to coordinate, in the best possible way, the existing agencies and voluntary effort in this regard and to utilise our resources to the best possible advantage. Also, we must look at the changes taking place, especially technological ones. In that regard we provided this year £700,000 additional revenue to modernise the VHF radio service. With one or two small exceptions, the whole area of jurisdiction is supplied with an extremely efficient and modern VHF radio network, which is essential in any search and rescue service. We have done this at a time of very strict financial controls.
Arising from Ceist a 5, would the Minister agree that it is now a matter of great urgency, in view of the reply given by him, to make a statement on the relocating of the Air Corps service at Shannon? Further, would the Minister agree that, to say the least, it is a bad state of affairs that the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre has to rely on the RAF for rescue operations?
I do not think that I could let the Deputy away with that. There is an international convention governing this whole area and sometimes the RAF may rely on our services.
When?
We have the best possible co-operation in that area. We certainly have the best possible co-operation between the rescue services here and in the United Kingdom. As I indicated in my reply, we are examining this area. We should like to see some improvements — and fairly soon. There will be no undue delay on our part in reaching a final decision.
In respect of Question No. 8, leaving aside the issue of co-ordination and given the current location, be it on the British mainland or on the east coast of Ireland, of the helicopter service, could I draw the Minister's attention to the time it takes for helicopters from these locations to reach our west coast? The Minister must now be in a position to accept the primary recommendation of the west coast search and rescue action committee, namely, the location of the helicopter service at Shannon and Finner. Could he give some indication of the Government's position on that, irrespective of interdepartmental committees and special groups? Would he agree——
I must ask for brevity, Deputy.
Would he agree that one must rely on co-ordination of these services?
I have already indicated my desire to improve the service on the west coast.
Does that involve the location?
Of course it involves location, but we must rely on the best possible advice available. As to deployment and operation of service in the most efficient way possible, we have sought the advice of people dealing in this area. It has been given to us and we hope to make a decision on the matter shortly.
Is the current stock of aircraft available to our Air Corps capable of travelling from any point in Ireland beyond 15 degrees west longitude and has it a capacity to carry upwards of 20 survivors or persons rescued?
These are some of the issues that have been addressed in the committee who have been established to look into these matters. We must await examination of the advice of that committee, which was received only in the last few days. It may be necessary in some instances to call in further support services and that is something which will be dealt with by the committee.
I take it from the Minister's replies that both he and his colleague, the Minister for Defence, will be reporting to the Government in the near future, but can he tell us at this stage what the costings involved would be in the relocation of two helicopters at Shannon? If this was decided on, would he or the Minister for Defence be in a position to go ahead with the relocation immediately?
This seems to be a separate question.
Would the Chair allow a supplementary on behalf of Deputy De Rossa who tabled Question No. 20?
I will, if the Deputy will be brief. I have given much latitude and want to deal with other questions also. I ask for a brief supplementary, please.
Can the Minister give us a breakdown on the figures he gave in respect of deaths at sea and can he differentiate between those which occurred as a result of the sinking of a vessel and those which occurred due to accidents on board? Secondly, could he indicate how many of the craft involved in these incidents leading to loss of life were craft under 6.5 metres? Finally, with regard to a report into the sinking of craft in the north Irish Sea in the last year, has this report been prepared and will the investigation be published?
I have much detailed information in this area and the best that I can do is to offer the Deputy, or indeed any Deputy, the volumes of information available on a detailed breakdown of the various incidents. This is a very complex and complicated area involving a lot of international conventions, regulations and legislation. I can supply them with material which will help them to understand fully the complications involved in dealing with this area.
In view of the information which the Minister has presented to us today in relation to the marine search and rescue services since 1982, could he now advise the House if he and his Department are in a position to recommend to Government the recommendations of the west coast search and rescue action committee report? Is he in a position to recommend to Government the basing of helicopters in Shannon?
When the west coast search and rescue committee presented their report in September, I had a very useful meeting with them and as far as I can gather they were very satisfied with the outcome of that meeting. I indicated on that occasion that I would ask the committee which was examining the case to examine that report as a matter of urgency and they have done that. I have got the report of the inter-departmental committee which has been submitted to the Minister for Defence and myself in the past few days. When we have an opportunity to examine it fully and reach decisions on it we will go to the Government to get a final conclusion; beyond that I am not prepared to go at this stage.
Mrs. Taylor-Quinn rose.
I must now call another question. I think I have devoted quite a lot of time to these questions.