Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 September 2018
119. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 464 of 3 July 2018, the reason it has taken a decade to cease landings on Inishmurray Island in view of an assessment in 2008 which deemed it to be unsuitable; the plans in place to provide for a safe landing facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37892/18]
View answer120. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 464 of 3 July 2018, if the ban on paid access to Inishmurray Island will be removed; if a safe landing facility will be provided in view of the fact that the lack of same is dangerous to the archaeology of the island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37893/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together.
In 2008, officials from the Marine Survey Office (MSO) carried out an assessment of the landing facilities at Inishmurray island and deemed the recognised landing on the island to be wholly unsuitable for landing passengers. As a consequence, no passenger licences have been issued which include Inishmurray on their plying limits. It was recommended that no such licences be issued until such time as the appropriate landing facility has been provided. No passenger boat licences have been revoked due to this issue and those passenger boats which have the appropriate licences may approach the island so that passengers may see the island and take photographs.
It was brought to the attention of the MSO that certain boats were advertising trips to the island and as such may have been operating outside the terms of their passenger boat licences. As safety regulator, the MSO has a responsibility to ensure the safety of passengers and officials of the MSO contacted the owners of these vessels to remind them of their obligations.
Further to my response to Parliamentary No 464 on 3 July 2018, I wish to make clear that this issue relates to the issuing of passenger boat licences. A passenger boat is defined in the Merchant Shipping Act 1992 and includes a boat carrying up to 12 passengers for reward or while carrying up to 12 persons to or from their place of work. It would not include persons using a boat by themselves or while carrying friends or family as non-fare paying passengers. Such vessels may be considered to be recreational craft which do not require passenger boat licences but may still be subject to other regulation. My Department recently updated its code of practice on the safe operation of recreational craft.
The solution is the provision of an appropriately safe landing facility. This is a matter for the owner of the property on which the facility would be built and the appropriate local authority, which in this instance is Sligo County Council. Once an appropriate landing facility is provided, officials of the MSO can assess it and any passenger vessel proposing to use it with a view to granting the appropriate licence.
