Michael Creed
Question:72 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources when he will introduce legislation for the registration and supervision of outdoor activity centres. [20987/00]
Written Answers. - Proposed Legislation.
The Government approved on 30 May 2000 the general scheme of The Adventure Activities Standards Authority Bill, 2000, and the legislation is currently being drafted.
The general scheme of the Bill follows the principal recommendations of an interdepartmental working group established to examine this critical safety issue. In essence the Bill will provide for the putting in place of a legislative framework to allow for: the establishment of an independent adventure activities standards authority, mandatory registration of adventure centres and providers with the authority for specified activities, mandatory codes of safe operating practice for specified adventure activities, implementation of a regulatory scheme, involving inspection of centres and providers for adherence to safety codes and powers for the authority to order cessation of the provision of any or all adventure activities in the case of failure to observe safety codes.
I hope to be in a position to bring forward the publishing of the Bill to the current session and look forward to the establishment of the adventure activities standards authority shortly thereafter.