Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ferry Safety.

Ivor Callely

Question:

147 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine the current position regarding safety regulations in respect of ferries operating on Irish routes and in Irish waters; if he has satisfied himself with these regulations; and the submissions, if any, he has received in respect of this matter. [11121/96]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Barrett)

My Department's primary objective in relation to the safety of passenger ferries operating on Irish routes and in Irish waters is to ensure that the highest standards of safety are set and enforced.

Irish-registered passenger vessels are subjected annually to through inspection by my Department's Marine Survey Office for the renewal of their passenger and safety certificates. These vessels are required to be equipped, maintained and inspected to the highest international standards. Foreign-registered vessels using Irish ports are also inspected regularly in exercise of Ireland's obligations as a port State.

As the Deputy is aware, there is a large international dimension to maritime safety legislation which is governed primarily by the International Maritime Organisation — IMO — and, increasingly, the European Union, the IMO's conventions are the cornerstone of maritime safety regulations throughout the world. My Department gives the highest priority to introducing into Irish law the IMO's constantly evolving standards for ferry safety.

The European Union has introduced a regulation to make the IMO's International Safety Management — ISM — code mandatory for all regular ro-ro passenger ferry services from July 1996, some two years ahead of the timescale envisaged by the IMO. The ISM code will enhance the safe management, operation and pollution prevention of ro-ro ferries.

In November 1995, the IMO Assembly adopted a number of additional amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea — SOLAS — Convention, based on proposals put forward by an IMO panel of experts on ro-ro passenger ferry safety, which was set up following the loss of theEstonia. While welcoming these amendments, a number of north-west European countries, including Ireland, were of the opinion that more stringent safety standards in relation to ship stability were warranted. In the absence of global consensus on this issue, the IMO had made provision for regional agreements within the SOLAS framework. As a result of protracted negotiations on this issue the north-west European countries produced “the Stockholm Agreement” on enhanced stability standards for ro-ro ferries in north-west Europe and the Baltic Sea. All ro-ro passenger ferry routes between Ireland and the United Kingdom and Ireland and France are included. I am very satisfied at the outcome of these regional initiatives which will significantly enhance the safety of ro-ro passenger ferries.

Irish shipping interests were consulted during the negotiation of this agreement and their submissions taken into account.