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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Nov 2000

Vol. 527 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Marine Sector Safety Measures.

I am disappointed that the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources is not in the House to hear this debate. I am glad, however, that a Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children is here because this is a health and safety issue.

I raise this matter as a Deputy from a coastal location in a year when at least 27 people have died in marine accidents. I extend my sympathy to the many families, including county people of my own, who have endured loss and express my relief that 13 Spanish people were rescued at sea today.

There is little doubt but that fishermen have a tough life living among the elements. That is reflected in the fact that it is becoming more difficult to attract new people into the industry. At a time when the potential mix of fishermen is widening and we do not necessarily have people from a fishing background, it is essential to call on the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources to look again at all aspects of marine health and safety.

We have the report of the marine safety group since 1996. It is time all the recommendations in that report were fully implemented. That is not to avoid giving credit for what has been achieved in the very significant support for the renewal of the fleet that was forthcoming under this administration and totally ignored by the previous one. We have excellent fishery training schools and I extol the great work being carried out in Greencastle. There are tremendous advances in the development of the entire marine emergency services, formerly Cliff Sea Rescue. We have well-trained and vigilant personnel manning our radio stations, for example, at Malin Head. There is huge investment in the upgrading of boats and the purchase of new ones. Yet, we have the death toll we saw this year.

Having spoken at length to people in the industry I reiterate that the recommendations in the safety review report must be fully implemented. We need, at the least, safety courses for all those going to sea – basic requirements that would give them the best chance should they run into difficulty while at sea. Recommendations 18 to 34 cannot be long-fingered any more. Similarly the issue of regular publicity drives to educate, advise and help develop a stronger safety culture among those working in the industry are vital. While accepting the development of devices such as EPIRBS, I draw attention to the possibility that there are other devices that could complement the work of EPIRBS. I have discussed many times with the Minister and his predecessor, Deputy Woods, the locator buoy devised by John Kelly in Moville, County Donegal. It is a very simple device for locating boats lost at sea. I have heard support voiced for this invention from Greencastle to Castletownbere and yet I await news that the Department has tried out this device.

Will the Minister bring my requests to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources and ask him to take a serious look at devices such as those of Mr. Kelly. This device, in the view of practising fishermen, has much to commend it. At a time when we should do all we can to save lives and learn from the inadequacies of past examples, surely money should be set aside for trials of existing prototypes and the development of others. Surely the Minister should direct the coastguard and or BIM to test out an invention that, at the very least, would provide an opportunity for people to find their lost loved ones and have a grave to go to. That might sound callous but the number of people who do not have a grave to visit is horrendous. I know many of them.

Let us set the standards for marine safety for the rest of Europe. Perhaps we should look to re-man the lighthouses which would not only reinstate an extra presence around our coasts for fishermen but would serve other important policing functions. We are an island nation. We should have the potential to earn a good living from the sea and be safe while engaging in that. It is time marine matters got the place it deserves but has lost over the years.

I know everyone concurs with these sentiments and I look forward to the Minister's reply and the full and immediate implementation of the safety review's 63 recommendations. I look forward to the considered response to the safety device that has, according to fishing experts, the potential to complement the EPIRBS and speed up the process of locating of boats in serious difficulty.

Coming up to Christmas, I wish to extend my sympathy to all those who have lost loved ones at sea, to commend those who risk their lives in sea rescue and trust that for all who rely on the sea for their livelihood this Government will continue to do what it can to make it as safe a place of employment as possible and enable those spouses and families who remain onshore to have greater peace of mind. I rely on the Minister of State to bring my concerns to the attention of the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources.

Like Deputy Keaveney, on behalf of the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, I extend my sympathy and that of the Government to all those who were bereaved as a result of the recent maritime accidents. Deputy Keaveney has a keen knowledge of the fishing industry and she, like all of us, is conscious of the need for an effective regime for the fishing industry. Such a regime needs to incorporate not only formal training but general safety awareness and education.

Safety training is vital to protect the lives of fishing vessel crews and the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources has been working closely with BIM to ensure that new and more accessible training facilities are provided for fishermen. In 1996 when the fishing vessel safety review group reported, there was only one training facility for the fishing sector, the National Fisheries Training Centre at Greencastle in County Donegal. Since then a second regional training centre opened in Castletownbere in 1999 and two mobile coastal training units have also been established. These units provide basic sea-survival and first aid courses in the fishing ports around the country. In addition, the mobile units have three small mobile trailers which can be towed to any part of the country and used for training purposes. Deputy Keaveney will be aware that the Government has given approval for the development of a £30 million state of the art maritime college which will provide training for the marine industry generally and the Naval Service. The college will train students to the relevant international standards which are set by the STCW 95 convention.

BIM has produced an integrated training plan for the Irish seafood industry 2000-2006 which will, inter alia, deliver a wide range of training course to the catching sector with significant emphasis placed on safety training. It is worth noting that BIM's training budget for the fishing and aquaculture sector amounts to £10 million for that period.

With regard to mandatory safety training for the fishing industry, there are a number of considerations to be taken into account. While this was a recommendation of the fishing vessel review group at the time, representatives of the fishing industry expressed strong reservations about this proposal. They argued that there was a serious shortage of well-trained deckhands and that fishing vessels rely heavily on casual labour, without whom some vessels could not put to sea. The situation in relation to the shortage of manpower for the industry has deteriorated since the FVSRG report in 1996 to such an extent that BIM is actively trying to recruit non-EU nationals for the fishing sector. The policy adopted by both BIM and the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources to date has been to provide high quality, easily accessible training facilities and to encourage the industry to avail of these opportunities.

A major review of manpower requirements in the fishing industry is currently being finalised and will address safety requirements, among other matters. The Minister looks forward to seeing that review and will consider the question of mandatory safety training in that context. I will ask the Minister to consider safety and location devices such as those mentioned by Deputy Keaveney.

I stress, however, that safety training is an integral part of the syllabus for fishing skipper and deckhand courses run by BIM. The previous Minister, Deputy Woods, introduced a range of measures two years ago providing that radios and EPIRBS would be carried by all fishing vessels and I am glad to say that the required EPIRBS worked successfully in recent cases. Regulations were also introduced to give effect to the Torremolinos Convention on fishing vessels over 24 metres as recommended in the 1996 FVSRG report and work is well advanced on draft regulations for the smaller sizes of fishing boats which have been the subject of consultation with the industry.

As part of an overall safety enhancement regime for the fishing industry, a programme for the renewal of the whitefish scheme was announced in June 1998. The aim of the scheme is to promote investment in new, more modern and safer vessels and in modernisation and safety improvements. Under the scheme, 29 new vessels have been approved for funding and many more have availed of 50% grants for the purchase and fitting of safety equipment.

The network of marine data buoys now being established around the coast will make a major contribution to safety at sea for fishermen. These buoys will considerably improve the accuracy of weather forecasts being made available to the fishing industry. The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources has allocated £0.5 million for the current year for this project and has allocated funding for the next two years to ensure that the project can be completed.

As part of the programme to enhance safety awareness among the fishing industry the Department regularly issues marine notices. The latest marine notice relevant to the fishing industry, No. 14 of 2000, recommended that a personal flotation device of at least 100 newtons buoyancy be worn at all times when on the deck of any fishing vessel or boat, irrespective of size, and that is be donned as a routine measure prior to putting to sea.

The Health and Safety Authority also undertakes a programme of raising safety awareness among fishermen which includes visits to fishing vessels, the production of a video on lifejackets and survival suits and a leaflet on safety in fishing. In addition, the marine safety working group established under the auspices of the Department, which includes representatives of the Coast Guard, the RNLI, Water Safety Ireland and the Irish Sailing Association, undertakes the publication of a wide range of literature including some specifically dealing with the subject of safety on fishing vessels.

I assure the Deputy that the Government is doing all it can to ensure the safety of our fishermen as they go about their daily work in an often dangerous and hostile environment.

The Dáil adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 December 2000.

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