Vol. 554 No. 5
97 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the steps he intends to take in respect of the proceedings initiated by the European Commission against Ireland for failure to implement a 1995 directive requiring mandatory safety checks on ships entering Irish ports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17059/02]
The purpose of Directive 95/21/EC on port State control is to reduce drastically and ultimately eliminate the number of substandard ships in Union waters. To this end, the directive agrees common criteria for inspecting ships which use a port of the Union. One of its key provisions lays down that each member state is to carry out an annual total number of inspections corresponding to at least 25% of the number of foreign ships entering its ports.
On 26 June 2002 the Commission decided to bring an action in the European Court of Justice against France and Ireland for their failure to comply with its directive.
Ireland's inspection rate has increased greatly over the past few years. Some 7.5% of foreign ships entering our ports were inspected in 1999, 14.6% in 2000 and a total of 21% of ships were inspected in 2001.
A number of steps are being taken to ensure that the recently established Maritime Safety Directorate within my Department has the resources to carry out the number of inspections required under Ireland's port state control obligations. In particular, an additional ten vessel surveyors have recently been appointed to the Directorate and are currently undergoing training. The Directorate is also developing a management information system to enhance the collection of data required for improved management of our port State control operations.
Port state control is a very effective measure in encouraging full compliance with international safety standards and I have asked the Maritime Safety Directorate to give this work a priority. I am hopeful that we will meet the target of 25% in 2002.
Will the Minister confirm that the European Commission which is to take Ireland to the European Court of Justice for not complying with the port safety directive had warned the Government in September 2001 that such action would be taken? Since the Minister has given the inspection rate figures for each of the past three years, what is the percentage number of inspections carried out to date this year?
To reply to the last question, I do not have the figures but I can provide them. Ultimately we hope the inspection rate will be up on 25%. Action is also being taken against France. The increase in Ireland from 7% in 1999 to 21% in 2001 is dramatic compared with the improvement in France which was only 9.6% in those two years. The main source of complaint by the Commission was in regard to France, not Ireland. I do not have a note in the file to suggest as far back as September 2001 that action would be taken by the Commission but there was an indication in May 2002 where a formal notice was granted. I am not certain but there may have been a notice in December 2001 also. There may be a mistake in the briefing. During the past two years there has been a significant increase in inspections. An additional ten surveyors have been recruited and are being trained for inspections so that there will be a dramatic improvement. I hope that at the end of the year we will be able to indicate to the Commission that we have fully complied with our obligations.
I am surprised the Minister cannot say how many inspections have been carried out to date this year. I would have thought that if he is responding to the Commission, which is taking us to the European Court of Justice for our failure to comply with its directive, our performance this year would be a central part of our defence. If, as stated, it is his intention to reach the target of 25% by the end of this year will he state whether in the first nine months of the year the inspection rate is up to the target of 25% already or down on the 21% for last year? In general, how have we performed and how much more needs to be done before the end of the year to comply with the 25% target?
I do not have the figures to hand. However the figures for the increased inspection rate from 1999 to 2001 speak for themselves.
The Commission is not satisfied with them.
The inspection rate has progressed from 7.5% in 1999 to 14.6% in 2000 and 21% in 2001. I assume the inspection rate this year is even better.
What was the inspection rate for this year?
Had the Deputy asked that question I might have had the figures. Our hope is that at the end of the year there will be an inspection rate of 25% or as near to it that it makes no difference.
