As Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources I have no powers to compel any ship operator to use any particular ship register. An EU national or body corporate established under and subject to the law of any member state can register a ship under any EU flag. A number of member states have both first and second ship registers.
The use of so called "flags of convenience" is not prohibited under EU law. The 1997 EU Community guidelines on state aid to maritime transport restrict specified forms of state aid to ships on EU registers. The Commission, supported by my Department in respect of Irish-owned shipping and Irish ports, is encouraging ship operators to use EU ship registers through beneficial fiscal measures and rigorous port state control inspections.