Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 30 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 3

Written Answers. - Ferry Services.

David Stanton

Question:

112 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the companies which operate car ferry, passenger ferry and freight ferry businesses out of the respective Irish ports; the names, sizes and number of ships involved; the role his Department plays in these activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16268/01]

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

I presume the Deputy is referring to those companies which operate ferry services out of our major commercial ro-ro ports using large merchant vessels, namely the ports of Dublin, Dún Laoghaire, Rosslare and Cork.

Full details of the companies which operate car ferry, passenger ferry and freight ferry services out of those ports, the names, sizes and numbers of ships involved, are available from the relevant port authorities. I have requested the four ports listed above to forward the information sought to the Deputy.

One company operates ferry services from Irish ports using ships which are registered on the Irish Ship Register. The relevant details in relation to those vessels are set out below. That register is operated by the Mercantile Marine Office – MMO – of my Department. The MMO maintains records of the ships on the Irish Ship Register. Details kept include,inter alia, a vessel's name, owner, and tonnage.

The MMO, acting in conjunction with the Marine Survey Office, MSO, of my Department, ensures that the requirements of the Merchant Shipping Acts and relevant international conventions and regulations are complied with respect to Irish registered vessels.

All Irish flagged ferries are surveyed annually by the MSO and are also subject to spot checks throughout the year. In addition, all non-Irish flagged ferries are subject to annual inspections by the MSO, who also hold joint drills annually with the relevant United Kingdom and French authorities, on a variety of passenger carrying ferries.

Name	Owner	GrossTonnage
Isle of Inishmore	Irish Ferries Limited	34,031
Jonathan Swift	Irish Ferries Limited	5,989
Normandy	Irish Continental Group Limited	25,745
Ulysses	Irish Ferries Limited	50,938