Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Jun 2000

Vol. 521 No. 5

Written Answers. - Water Sports.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

95 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concern within the personnel of the emergency services and their families at the lack of a comprehensive and adequate set of regulations obliging the owners and users of pleasure craft to ensure that their craft are fully and comprehensively equipped with emergency provisions such as flares, second engines, radar and other safety devices so as to ensure that in the event of such pleasure craft encountering difficulties the rescue associated with the users of that craft do not in turn result in putting the personnel of our emergency services in serious danger resulting either in injury or even loss of life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17795/00]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

The Action Group on Small Powered Recreational Craft, including personal watercraft, recently presented me with its final report. This report made a number of recommendations including some in respect of the carriage and use of lifejackets, the carriage of safety equipment and consumption of alcohol. On the basis of this report, I am currently proposing the introduction of a legislative framework for the regulation of recreational craft. This is being achieved through amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act, 1992, which are included in the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Bill, 1999. The Bill passed its final stages in the Dáil and Seanad on 20 June 2000 and is being submitted to the President for signature.

The Bill will impose certain safety standards for the use of leisure craft. These will improve safety practices to take account of the safety of the passengers and occupants of the vessels in question.

Following on the enactment of this legislation, I hope to quickly introduce implementing regulations based on the recommendations of the action group's final report.

I consider that these regulations, allied to the recently launched "Year 2000 Safety on the Water" campaign, will contribute to an increase in safety in the water-based leisure sector and a resultant decrease in the emergency calls received by the emergency services in future.