There are three private notice questions to the Minister for the Marine on the ferry accident in west Cork. I understand the Minister proposes to take them together. I call on the Members concerned to put their questions in the following order: Deputy De Rossa, Deputy Allen or Deputy Hogan and Deputy Bradford.
Private Notice Questions. - Castletownbere (Cork) Ferry Accident.
asked the Minister for the Marine the latest information available regarding the circumstances of the sinking of a small ferry in Bantry this morning; the number of fatalities; the progress in regard to the search for survivors; the investigation that will be held to establish the cause of the accident; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
andMr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Marine if he will make a statement on the ferry accident in west Cork.
asked the Minister for the Marine if he will make a statement on this morning's ferry tragedy at Castletownbere, County Cork.
On behalf of the Taoiseach and the Government, I extend our deepest sympathy to the bereaved and the community of Castletownbere on this most tragic of occurrences. I am sure every Member of the House will join with me in a united expression of heartfelt concern. I am travelling immediately this afternoon to Castletownbere to assess the situation and convey my sympathy to the bereaved and express my solidarity with the local community. This is not the first time that Castletownbere has suffered a tragedy. This is the most recent horrific and traumatic tragedy.
The deputy chief surveyor of the Department will accompany me and take full charge of the investigation. I have already set this in motion by despatching a marine surveyor to the scene of the accident this morning. The investigation will be carried out quickly. It will be comprehensive and the outcome will be published at the first opportunity. This matter will be handled with the utmost transparency and openness and every effort will be made to find out what happened.
The cause of the accident has not yet been definitely established and I cannot pre-empt the findings of the inquiry. The circumstances surrounding the sinking of the vessel within the harbour limits are still emerging but I can confirm that four bodies have been recovered. One person may still be missing but there is a doubt about this. There are four survivors. The rescue operation was overseen by the harbour master of Castletownbere with the full involvement of the Department of the Marine emergency services, the rescue helicopter and the Valentia lifeboat. I thank all concerned in the rescue operation for their unstinting effort and commitment to the task.
I am grateful to the Deputies opposite for tabling questions to give me an opportunity to respond immediately on what is a serious, dreadful and horrific tragedy for the community of Castletownbere. I will keep the House fully informed of developments. I will be available to take questions on the Adjournment on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of next week.
I welcome the fact the Minister has agreed to take this question although he is rushing to Castletownbere to be with the community on this occasion. On behalf of my party I wish to be associated with his expression of sympathy to the families, friends and the community. As well as initiating an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, will the Minister as a matter of urgency have checks carried out on similar ferries, many of which are operating on the west coast, so that any defects can be rectified before there is a further tragedy?
Safety checks are constantly carried out on passenger and vehicle carrying vessels. Although I do not want to pre-empt the findings of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy I am sure all the details on the vessel involved will emerge. I will give the Deputy all the facts when they are established.
On behalf of my party, I extend sympathy to the relatives and friends of the people who have died and pay tribute to the rescue services which arrived on the scene promptly. At this sensitive time I do not wish to ask too many political questions but does the Minister believe that the present licensing arrangements and inspection procedures are adequate for vessels such as this? Perhaps he will address this question next week in the House.
The licensing system is as adequate as humans can make it but I have no doubt that a full examination of the system might uncover defects of one sort or another. However, my officials have produced a licensing system that is adequate for the type of vessel it applies to.
I realise the Deputy wants to be sensitive at this time, but if there are political questions he wants to ask let him, please, do so. My approach is one of openness and transparency. I am not hiding behind anything when I say that it would be inappropriate to the owner of the vessel or to the bereaved to make any statement about the licensing or otherwise of the vessel. A full investigation will reveal the facts.
I would like to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the bereaved families and the local community. I welcome the Minister's early intervention and his initiative in travelling to the area this afternoon. In the light of the need for such ferries to island communities, does the Minister agree that the lack of grants for ferry services to non-Gaeltacht islands causes difficulties for those who provide ferry services to such islands? They do not have the grant-aid that Gaeltacht islands have and so would have more difficulty in purchasing equipment, etc.
Can the Minister confirm that the safety testing carried out on vessels that operate on inshore routes are less stringent than those for ocean going ferries?
There is an even-handed approach in the application of safety standards, more particularly on the island of Ireland. I will have a look at the question of grants because I realise that in the absence of grants people might take short cuts. However, I cannot give any firm undertakings.
We do not know the circumstances of this accident. All we know is that the ferry was a short distance out when it attempted to return and that it then capsized. My concern is with the fact that people have lost their lives. When I suggest that a quick review of the system should be undertaken, I am not necessarily confining myself to checks of the ferry. The review should take in the loading procedures, restrictions on weight, loads, and how the cargo is lashed down. I understand the truck that was on the ferry was carrying gravel which is a load that can shift very easily. Will the Minister, as a matter of urgency, undertake some kind of review of procedures at other ports and other piers from which ferries depart so that criteria are established quickly to avoid a similar tragedy in the future?
The criteria exist, it is just a matter of their application. It is an awful thing that people have to die before a review is undertaken but, arising out of this tragedy, I will do what the Deputy asks and return in due course with a report of the conclusions of the review.
I am sensitive to the fact that there should be no question of pointing the finger at anybody in asking questions today.
I have no problem about responsibility.
Will the report on the investigation be published quickly, unlike the report on The Havelet accident which took more than 12 months and was subsequently hindered by threats of legal action by the company involved? Will this report, when finished, be open?
I have given that undertaking. I do not know the circumstances of the accident. There may be legal matters arising out of it. The Havelet report was delayed for legal reasons and I am sorry it took so long, but as soon as I came to the Department it was dealt with expeditiously. I would also like to think that this investigation will be dealt with quickly and with the utmost openness. Since I came into the Department I have always been up front and I will be so on this matter too.
On the question of grant aid, I stress that grant aid to people in non-Gaeltacht areas should be the same as that available to people in Gaeltacht areas. Conditions at sea do not vary as between Irish speaking and non-Irish speaking islanders. I hope the Minister will make progress in that regard. Regulations exist on the transport of petrol, but do regulations exist in relation to other cargo and, if so, exactly what are they?
I will let the Deputy have a note of the regulations. As to the first part of the Deputy's question, it would appear inappropriate in the circumstances because this accident happened within arm's length of land and, happily, if that expression is not too insensitive in the circumstances, there were a number of boats in the area and that is why all the people on board did not die. I understand that four people died — there may be one person missing — and that four people survived. If Deputy Bradford would like to table a question relating to grant aid on another occasion I will be happy to answer it, but I am not certain that it is appropriate to the circumstances of this horror story.
I would like to join with other colleagues in extending sympathy to the bereaved families. I come from a constituency where there are a number of ferries operating successfully to islands such as Tory Island and Aranmore Island and I am a regular user of such ferries as are other people in similar positions.
Passengers travelling on such ferries in the future will probably be fearful and I would like the Minister to do everything possible to assuage their fears. I listened with interest to my colleague, Deputy Bradford. Both of the ferries referred to are providing an essential service for those living in exposed and remote parts of our country who are entitled to safe boats and safe passage on our seas. A number of the owners of such ferries in County Donegal are in receipt of subsidies to enable them provide a regular and safe service for their passengers. Perhaps the Minister might consider providing such a subsidy to the owners of ferries in other parts of the country.
I agree with the Deputy that we should send out a message that the majority of car ferries travelling to islands around the country are safe. I do not know the exact type of vessel which was involved in the accident to which we are referring or if it would fit into the genus of car ferry. It had a roll-on/roll-off facility, but I am not sure whether its physical make-up would conform with that of ordinary passenger vessels which operate in the Deputy's part of the country. I know from experience that the car ferries operating between Rossaveel and the Aran Islands are very safe, as safe as mankind can make them. Nevertheless, we should send out a message today that car ferries in the main are safe, but there are exceptions to every rule and, unfortunately, this accident was one of those exceptions.
Ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón a chur in iúl do mhuintir na daoine a bhfuair bás i Castletownbere, an area I know well. Ferries are part and parcel of life in my constituency, particularly those travelling to Lambay Island. Will the Minister publish the report on this incident as soon as possible and take into account that adequate paper work on all shipping vessels is fundamental? In reviewing and examining ways of avoiding another such tragedy, it might be worthwhile to consider streamlining the form-filling process so that we would have an up-to-date and complete report on the condition of each vessel? I am not being critical in saying that, but will the Minister examine the matter?
Inevitably, in the case of a large number of vessels the condition of the vessel is indicated on a form. I assure the Deputy that the investigation will be completed as quickly as possible and the report will be placed in the Oireachtas Library.