Vol. 489 No. 3
31 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 7 of 10 July 1997, the reason the commitments regarding the inquiry into the sinking of the Jenalisa on 4 February 1996 have not been fulfilled; if he will have the report published forthwith; the reason for the delay; the liaison, if any, there has been with the families; if so, when this occurred; and the number of occasions in this regard. [8090/98]
As the Deputy may be aware, a report of the investigation into the sinking of the Jenalisa was completed by the Marine Survey Office of my Department and was forwarded to the Attorney General's Office for legal vetting.
Officials from my Department have been in recent consultation with that office with a view to clarifying a number of complex legal issues which arose in relation to the publication of the report.
There has been written and telephone contact between officials of my Department and the bereaved families and their representatives. Late last year each family was individually contacted with regard to the latest position on the publication of the report. All concerned were assured that the families of the deceased would receive the report into the casualty as soon as it is ready for publication.
An official of the Department has been designated to inform the families when the report is ready for publication. He has also advised the families that he can be contacted at any stage should they require.
I very much regret the continued delay in reaching the publication date for the report and I can assure the Deputy that it remains my intention to have this report published as soon as possible.
