Dick Spring
Ceist:30 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for the Marine if he has any proposals in relation to updating the law dealing with shipwrecks off our coast.
Written Answers. - Wrecked Vessels.
Dick Spring
Ceist:34 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline the number of shipwrecks which have occurred off the coast of Ireland in the past two years; the course of action taken by him to deal with such situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take questions Nos. 30 and 34 together.
The number of vessels reported to my Department as having been wrecked on the Irish Coast was six in 1989 and three in 1990.
I believe that in the area of shipwreck, prevention is preferable to cure. To this end Ireland has been one of the first countries to sign the International Convention on Salvage, 1989. This convention, when it comes into force, will greatly strengthen the international law on salvage and increase the amount of money salvors can expect to gain from preventing shipwrecks. For the first time also the convention puts forward a compensation regime for salvors who, while unsuccessful in the sense of salving property, have nevertheless by their actions prevented or minimised damage to the environment. The Merchant Shipping Acts will have to be amended to enable the convention to be ratified. I am taking the opportunity of the preparation of such legislation to carry out a full-scale review of the law of wreck and salvage to see if the intervention powers of the maritime authorities need to be strengthened.
Maritime casualties are a constant threat to us by virtue of our island location at the eastern end of the North Atlantic; in the path of the prevailing winds and close to very busy shipping lanes. Through the operations of the marine emergency response team we have successfully coped with several potential shipwrecks in recent years. These included theYarrawonga, the Irwell and the Tribulus.
The Doherty Report about to be published has recommended the establishment of a new division of the Department of the Marine which would have responsibility,inter alia, for intervention in all types of marine emergency including shipwreck. This new structure should be up and running in the new year.