Michael Finucane
Ceist:55 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will ensure that the Government approves funding to ensure that all fishing vessels have emergency position indicating radio beacons. [26562/98]
Written Answers. - Fishing Vessel Modernisation.
Under the Government's programme for renewal of the whitefish fleet, grant aid is available for improving the overall safety standard of the fleet. The programme provides grant aid of 50 per cent of the eligible cost of the purchase and fitting of safety equipment.
Eligibility for funding under this scheme is based on the following criteria: (a) the items of safety equipment selected for purchase and fitting must be from a specified list. This list includes emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB) and (b) the vessel which is being fitted with the safety items is sound, seaworthy, and must comply with statutory life saving and fire fighting regulations.
To date, there have been three tranches of approvals for vessel safety applicants. These amount to a total cost of £131,211.77 in funding, £59,050.45 of which, is EU grant aided. I will announce further approvals of grant aid for the purchase of safety equipment under the programme and would encourage the maximum number of fishermen to avail of this scheme.
In addition to the provision of grant aid for EPIRB's, I propose at an early date to introduce new rules, which will make mandatory the carriage of EPIRB's and other radio communications equipment on all fishing vessels and provide for strict enforcement through regular inspections of the radio communications equipment at an early date.