Vol. 209 No. 7
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether any or all of the ships belonging to Irish Shipping Ltd. are provided with inflatable liferafts in place of, or in addition to, lifeboats; and, if not, if he will consider investigating the desirability of all ships being provided with these modern aids to life preservation.
25.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether any or all of the ships operating cross-Channel passenger or freight services to Britain are provided with inflatable liferafts in place of, or in addition to, conventional wooden lifeboats; and, if not, whether he will consider introducing regulations providing for the use of such rafts on all ships.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 25 together.
Home trade passenger and cargo vessels, i.e. vessels trading to Britain and the near continent are required under the Merchant Shipping (Lifesaving Appliances) Rules, 1960, based on the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1948, to carry inflatable liferafts either in addition to or in substitution for conventional lifesaving apparatus. Under the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea 1960, which has not yet come into force, provision is made for the carriage of inflatable liferafts on foreign-going ships in substitution for conventional liferafts. The Convention has been signed on behalf of this country, subject to acceptance, and amending legislation to ratify the Convention is in preparation.
In the meantime the vessels of Irish Shipping Ltd. carry conventional lifesaving equipment which complies with existing international requirements.
I should add that the 1960 Convention permits the use either of rigid liferafts or inflatable liferafts at the option of the shipowner.
