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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 1

Written Answers. - Adventure Activity Centres.

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

121 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he has received the review of outdoor activity centres; if it will be published in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5946/02]

I presume the Deputy is referring to the review of adventure centre activities that was carried out by my Department in 1999. The results were published that same year under the title "A Review of the Safety Regulation of Adventure-Activity Centres, Report of the Interdepartmental Working Group".

Following that publication my Department introduced the Adventure Activities Standards Authority Bill, 2000. This Bill was passed through both houses of the Oireachtas and signed into law by the President on 16 July 2001. The general scheme of the Act follows the principal recommendations of the interdepartmental working group established to examine this critical safety issue.
In essence the Act provides 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.
Recently I established a new maritime safety directorate within my Department to undertake the State's marine regulatory safety services, including the co-ordination of all aspects of safety at sea. The directorate will incorporate the current functions of my Department's marine survey office and its maritime safety and marine environment divisions. It will also take over the safety functions in relation to pleasure craft and adventure activities at present dealt with by the marine leisure division. It is my intention that work will now be progressed under the directorate to have the new adventure activities standards authority established as quickly as possible.
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