Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021
172. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the wreck of a ship (details supplied) which is grounded at Ballycotton, County Cork; the details of the work of his Department to resolve this issue; and if it is the responsibility of his Department, another Department or Cork County Council. [22760/21]
View answer173. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Transport if his Department or its subsidiaries have carried out work to ascertain the body responsible for dealing with the wreck of a ship (details supplied) at Ballycotton, County Cork and to address existing safety concerns relating to the continued presence of the wreck and removal in future. [22761/21]
View answer174. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Transport his plans for the removal of the wreck of a ship (details supplied) in County Cork. [22762/21]
View answer175. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Transport the timeline for the removal of a wreck (details supplied) from Ballycotton, County Cork. [22763/21]
View answer176. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Transport the work by his Department or subsidiaries into contracting work involved in the removal of a wreck (details supplied) in County Cork; and the expected costs, obstacles or other details. [22764/21]
View answer177. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to a claims to rights or responsibilities by an individual, body or organisation for the salvaging of a wreck (details supplied) in County Cork; and if efforts have been made to place responsibility on such and the way this effects the salvage and removal of the wreck. [22765/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 172, 173, 174, 175, 176 and 177 together.
The relevant legislation in cases such as that referred to by the Deputy is the Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Wreck) Act 1993. This Act sets out the roles and responsibilities of a number of bodies.
Section 40 of the Act provides that the Minister for Transport has the “general superintendence” of matters relating to wrecked or stranded vessels. However, further provisions outline the responsibilities from an operational perspective for other bodies.
Section 51 places the initial responsibility for removing a wreck on the owner of the vessel. However, if the appropriate authority, in this case Cork County Council, considers the wreck is or is likely to become an obstruction or danger to navigation or a threat of harm to the marine environment, it shall proceed to raise and remove the wreck or otherwise render it harmless.
Separate provisions apply regarding ownership, sale and proceeds for wrecks and a Receiver of Wrecks appointed under the Act deals with these matters.
As the appropriate authority under the Act, Cork County Council has taken the lead in dealing with the case in question and has taken a number of steps to date in their duties under the Act.
My Department has been represented by the Coast Guard at a number of inter-agency meetings on the matter. Furthermore, on foot of a recommendation in a report published by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) on the grounding of the wreck concerned, my Department has established a working group to explore the risks and potential costs to the State presented by derelict ships entering Irish territorial waters and coming ashore in Ireland and make proposals for means to identify, monitor, track and interdict derelict ships before they endanger other ships and seafarers in the vicinity.
While the Act does allow for the removal of a wreck, it does not contain provisions in relation to the costs associated with the removal of a wreck where the sale of that wreck is not possible, and the owners of the vessel cannot be located. It is understood that no evidence of ownership or insurance has come to light yet in the case referred to by the Deputy.
My Department is available to attend operational inter-agency meetings on this issue. Furthermore, in light of the recent fire at the site of the wreck concerned, I have asked my officials to engage directly with Cork County Council as the appropriate authority with a view to assessing appropriate next steps.
