Charles Flanagan
Ceist:37 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources when the report of the investigation into the loss of the f.v. Jenalisa off the Waterford coast on 4 February 1996 will be published. [26557/98]
Other Questions. - Marine Accidents.
John Perry
Ceist:66 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources when the report of the investigation into the loss of the f.v. Jenalisa off the Waterford coast on 4 February 1996 will be published. [26558/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 66 together.
A report on the investigation of the sinking of the fishing vessel Jenalisa, undertaken by the marine survey office of my Department, has now been finalised and will be published very shortly.
I will ensure that arrangements are made for each of the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy to be presented with copies of the report in advance of its general release.
I regret progress in having this and other marine casualty reports published has been slower than I would like. Accordingly, I have already accepted the general thrust and content of the recently published report of the investigation of marine casualties policy review group, which was set up to review the existing policy, procedures and legislative framework for maritime casualty investigations in Ireland.
I will bring proposals to Government in the new year to address the recommendations made by the review group. Work is well under way in my Department on the preparation of the required legislative framework to implement the key proposal, which is the establishment of a new statutory marine casualty investigation board. The board, when established, will have enhanced powers to investigate marine casualties and to expeditiously publish reports of the board's findings.
I am confident the new system of investigation identified by the review group will resolve the current difficulties regarding the publication of reports and will help me achieve my central aim, which is to establish a modern casualty investigation system, which will have clear procedures and purpose and will meet the needs and expectations of all the various interested parties in relation to such investigations.
I realise the sensitivities involved in this with regard to the families of the dead fishermen. However, I have been seeking the publication of this report for several years and am constantly told it will be provided shortly. Will the Minister give some indication of when——
It will probably be next week. It must go to the families before that.
I appreciate that it should go to the families first. However, will the Minister confirm it will be published as soon as next week?
Yes, that is what I expect.
It was an extraordinary occurrence in some ways because it was not a particularly bad day at sea and there were other boats in the vicinity. It was extraordinary that it just disappeared in broad daylight. We are all looking forward to reading the reasons for the disaster.
As the Deputy said, it was an extraordinary event and it happened only four miles south of Brownstown Head, County Waterford. Tragically none of the crew survived. Only one body was recovered and the other two men are presumed drowned.
There is great sensitivity about the publication of reports. When a report is published it a sensitive and difficult time for everybody concerned. Nevertheless, the families want them to be published. I gave an undertaking in 1992, when I was Minister in this Department for a relatively short time, that reports would be published and a number have been published since then. I look forward to having the draft legislation early in the new year and to being in a position to put the new proposals and procedures before the House for full discussion.
I expect the report to be published next week. The procedure in these cases is that the families are fully informed, in advance of publication, of anything in the report which might affect them in any way. When the report is ready for publication, it is provided in the first instance to the families and, within a couple of days, is made public.