Vol. 460 No. 8
1 Mr. M. Smith asked the Minister for the Marine the steps, if any, he is taking to improve safety procedures on boats; whether the resources for inspection of boats by marine officers are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter in view of the number of serious accidents which have taken place on the sea in recent months. [2228/96]
My key policy objective in maritime safety is to ensure that the highest standards of safety are set and enforced, to minimise the risks to human safety on our seas, rivers and lakes.
Irish regulation of safety matters in maritime transport has two sources, the international and domestic. The former consists of the vast body of international law, regulations and guidelines which emanate from fora such as the International Maritime Organisation, the European Union and the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control. Ireland participates actively in the formulation of the constantly evolving safety strategies of these bodies, and the Department of the Marine gives priority to implementing their safety standards in Irish law. The Department is actively developing a new, safer stability standard for roll on-roll off ferries in conjunction with other north west European countries and the International Maritime Organisation. Our aim is to ensure that this mode of transport, which is essential to us as a highly mobile island trading nation, attracts the full confidence of the travelling public, including the large numbers of our UK and continental visitors.
Irish-registered vessels are subjected annually to thorough inspection by my Department's marine survey office for the renewal of their passenger and safety certificates, as required under IMO Conventions. Foreign-registered vessels using Irish ports are also inspected by marine survey office staff under the provisions of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control. I am satisfied that the resources available to the Marine Survey Office are adequate to deal with our international maritime safety obligations.
On the domestic front, the Merchant Shipping Act, 1992, extended safety regulations for the first time to boats carrying less than twelve passengers. While the large number of additional boat surveys necessitated by this legislation has given rise to some delay in processing applications for boat licences, I understand progress has been made in clearing the resultant backlog, which is unlikely to recur. My officials are, however, currently assessing the implications for the marine survey office staff complement of introducing proposed new safety regulations for commercial sea angling vessels.
I recently established a high-level group to review the question of the safety status of the Irish fishing fleet. My action in this regard was prompted by the recent losses of fishermen at sea, including the tragedy of the loss of six crew aboard the Carrickatine last November.
The review group's terms of reference are: to review the safety status of all categories of vessel in the fleet; to review the status of training for fishermen; to review manning requirements and compliance therewith; to make recommendations on safety requirements to apply in future, together with a suggested timeframe for their implementation; and to assess the financial and sectoral implications of the implementation of the recommendations made.
This review will be the most thorough and wide-ranging examination of the safety of the Irish fishing fleet. Its purpose is to establish what actions may be necessary to ensure the highest safety standards in the fleet and, ultimately, to reduce the number of tragedies involving fishing vessels. I can assure the House that any recommendations arising from this review will be given urgent and full consideration, and that appropriate action will follow without delay.
I welcome the positive approach adopted by the Minister and the concern he has expressed. Will he accept, because of the series of accidents and facilities that have occured, there is no room for delay in providing new safety procedures and equipment particularly in the fishing fleet? In view of the huge costs associated with search and rescue and the failure by some boat owners to have on board the more sophisticated identification and location equipment, which is now available, will he consider grant aiding small boats, to provide this vital equipment which will lead to making considerable savings on the search and rescue operation?
I could not agree more with the Deputy when I say every effort must be made to ensure there is maximum safety to eliminate any possible loss of life. A review group set up, under the chairmanship of Mr. Donal O'Mahony, will report to me by the end of May. I have given an undertaking to the group that its report will not be allowed gather dust on the shelves of the Department of the Marine and that we will take immediate action on the recommendations. If the group wishes to make an interim report or interim recommendations we will follow up on those also. I do not want to anticipate its recommendations but I will do whatever I can in terms of giving assistance.
In the period 1994 to 1999, under the Operational Programme for Fisheries, in excess of £30 million will be invested in vessel modernisation, involving £9 million EU funding and £1.5 million Exchequer funding. Improvements involving safety on board vessels is given a high priority when we are selecting projects for grant aid.
Any recommendations arising from the review group will be given full consideration and I will be pleased to report back to the Deputy on what steps we can take to assist small boat owners.
Because of the mysterious nature of some of the accidents at sea and the fact that submarine activities could have played a part in these tragedies, has the Minister had any discussions with his counterpart in the UK or elsewhere about these matters?
There is no evidence to suggest that any of the recent fatalities resulted from accidents involving submarines. The most recent tragedy in Donegal resulted in many weeks of search both by the Naval Service and the fishing community in the north west and there is no evidence to suggest this tragic accident was caused by a submarine. If any such evidence comes to light I will pursue it. The Irish Marine Emergency Service has given no indication to me that this unfortunate tragedy was caused by such an incident.
