Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004
57 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has satisfied himself that sufficient policing capacity on the water is available to enforce water safety legislation around our coastline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19297/04]
View answerI recently signed into law new water safety regulations aimed at Ireland's growing marine leisure sector as part my campaign to continuously improve safety on water. The new regulations which are titled the Merchant Shipping (Pleasure Craft) Lifejackets and Operation) (Safety) Regulations 2004, have immediate effect. They encompass all types of pleasure craft regardless of the means of propulsion.
It is now compulsory for everyone on board a pleasure craft of less than 7 m, 23 ft, in length to wear a lifejacket-personal floatation device and for all children up to the age of 16 years to wear a lifejacket while on board a pleasure craft.
On the enforcement of water safety legislation around our coastline, the Coastguard, officers of the Maritime Safety Directorate, the Garda and the public all have a major role to play.
To assist in this process two Coastguard vessels were deployed at Howth and Crosshaven as major boating activity areas in the country. Other vessels will be deployed on a random basis around the coastline during the coming months to promote safety awareness including the wearing of lifejackets.
The regulations have been widely welcomed and monitoring to date has shown a high level of compliance. However, I will look to expanding the policing capacity on water if there are significant levels of non-compliance. The public has a key role to play by taking personal responsibility for their own safety through wearing lifejackets and taking other sensible safety precautions when undertaking their water based leisure activities. Parents too have a pivotal role to play in ensuring that children wear lifejackets at all times.
As part of its ongoing programme of enforcement of safety rules and vessel licensing conditions, the Maritime Safety Directorate will continue to carry out a campaign of operational safety inspections on passenger ships and boats this summer. These inspections, including unannounced checks, will be undertaken around the country in relation to vessels at sea and on inland waters to determine compliance with licensing requirements. Licence conditions relating to manning levels, maximum passenger numbers allowed, the continued availability of safety equipment are among the issues which the inspectors will focus on.
