Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 17 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 1

Written Answers. - Safety of Ferries.

Austin Deasy

Ceist:

36 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine the measures, if any, his Department is taking to ensure the safety of passenger and car ferries plying between this country and Britain or the continent in view of the number of incidents involving these crafts and the number of cancellations announced frequently; and his views on whether the design of these vessels is suitable for their use in the Irish Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. [14987/95]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Barrett)

I should like to assure the Deputy that my Department's overriding objective in relation to ro-ro passenger safety is to ensure that the highest standards of safety are set and enforced. To this end, the necessary legislative measures to give effect to the most up-to-date internationally recognised safety standards have been adopted and implemented by the State. These standards are under a continuous process of review and upgrading, as appropriate.

Irish-registered passenger vessels are subjected annually to thorough inspection by the Department's marine survey office for the renewal of their passenger and safety certificates. These vessels are required to be equipped, maintained and inspected to the highest international standards. Foreign-registered vessels using Irish ports are also inspected regularly by marine survey office staff in the exercise of Ireland's port State control obligations.

There is a large international dimension to maritime safety legislation and the Conventions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) are the centre piece of maritime safety regulation internationally. Following theEstonia tragedy in September 1994, the IMO ordered a thoroughgoing review of all aspects of ro-ro passenger ferry safety. This review was carried out on a priority basis by an international panel of experts, which presented its report to the IMO in May of this year. The panel has recommended amendments to a number of IMO Conventions, namely, the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the Maritime Search and Rescue Convention (SAR) and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers (STCW).

The report of the panel of experts is to be considered and discussed in detail at the meeting of the assembly of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London next month. Ireland has already indicated its support for the broad thrust of the panel of experts recommendations, and I can assure the Deputy that I will not accept safety standards on Irish vessels, or on foreignflagged vessels operating in and out of our ports, which are inferior to the highest standards decreed by the IMO.

I might add, in conclusion, the Irish passenger ferries have an excellent and longstanding safety record, and I and my officials at the Department of the Marine will continue our efforts to ensure that this is maintained.