Fishing Vessel Licences.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 February 2005

Thursday, 3 February 2005

Questions (117)

John Perry

Question:

115 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether all reputable boatyards build each vessel to a set standard dependent on the intended use and the hulls are independently checked and passed by the national licensing authorities before a passenger licence can be used with regard to the forthcoming EU directives relating to small GRP passenger ferries which will limit the passenger number on such vessels to 36 persons regardless of size; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that vessels (details supplied) operate to ISO9002 standard through the production process before final hull certification by the maritime and coastguard agency; if his attention has further been drawn to the knock-on effects such as costs and tourism that this legislation will have on ferry operators who use these 50 foot ferries and are licensed for up to 70 passengers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3325/05]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Gallagher)

I understand the Deputy is referring to a particular vessel constructed by a company based in Cornwall, England.

In Ireland, each passenger ship is built to required specified statutory standards which take into account the intended use of the vessel. The hulls are also independently checked and passed by the maritime safety directorate of this Department as the national licensing authority rather than the Maritime and Coastguard Agency which is the UK licensing authority.

The legislation to which the Deputy may be referring is Council Directive 1998/18/EC on safety rules and standards for sea-going domestic passenger ships. Ships classified as class VI passenger ships would appear to be the passenger ships referred to in the question. Such class VI ships can only be constructed in materials other than steel or equivalent and are not covered by SI No. 716 of 2004, the regulations transposing the EC directive.

The appropriate legislation in this case is the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Rules 1985 (SI 274 of 1993); Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) Rules 1985; and Merchant Shipping (Life Saving Appliances) Rules 1983.

The maritime safety directorate is currently in the process of updating the regulations in relation to those classes of domestic passenger ships which are not covered by Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship) Regulations, 2004 (SI No.716 of 2004). This process includes the updating of regulations for class VI passenger ships constructed in materials other than steel or an equivalent material. This update is required because an anomaly exists whereby the EC directive does not apply to GRP vessels.

The requirements contained in Council Directive 1998/18/EC on safety rules and standards for passenger ships are significantly higher than those under the current domestic legislation and thereby a class VI passenger ship constructed in materials other than steel or an equivalent material offers a lower level of safety to the passenger on board. Under Council Directive 98/18/EC and 1974 International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, SOLAS, an increased level of structural fire protection is required in ships where more than 36 passengers are carried. While existing class VI passenger ships are not affected by the proposal, the proposed regulations will only allow newly constructed class VI passenger ships to carry up to 36 passengers.

New class VI ships shall require an "A" class fire division around the machinery space and the provision of fire detection and fire appliances in accordance with the European Communities (Passenger Ship) Regulations 2004 (SI No. 716 of 2004). This is necessary so that a class VI ship will provide an equivalent level of safety to a ship constructed in steel or an equivalent material and afford the passenger a higher level of safety.