Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 4

Other Questions. - Marine Accidents.

John Gormley

Ceist:

120 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the preparations the Government is making with regard to the planned towing of 13 derelict US naval warships through Irish waters en route to the English port of Hartlepool for dismantling; the representations he has made to both the US and UK Governments on the matter; and the towing vessels which will be available to come to the assistance of the boats should they come into difficulties in Irish waters. [22174/03]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

347 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has been in contact with the US authorities with regard to the movement of 13 US naval ships due to be scrapped in England. [22247/03]

Mr. D. Ahern

I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 347 together.

As soon as I became aware of the intention of the USA authorities to tow 13 derelict naval ships to Britain, I instructed the Irish Coast Guard to establish all relevant facts regarding the proposed operation and to assess the risks to this country in the event of an accident. I am aware of concerns expressed about the dangers that an accident might pose. I was also very concerned that it was intended to tow these old vessels across the Atlantic in wintertime.

The Irish Coast Guard has established direct contact with the authorities in both the USA and the UK and it has been provided with all the information it requested. The vessels will be towed two at a time and it is intended to tow three pairs of vessels in 2003 and the remainder in 2004. The Irish Coast Guard has been provided with specific information regarding the planned departure times and routes in each case. The first tow commenced late last night, Monday, 6 October, and is expected to take 28 days to berth. The second is planned to commence tomorrow. The planned route will take the tow some 210 miles south of the Fastnet Rock. This route does not enter Irish territorial waters, the Ireland search and rescue region or the Irish pollution responsibility zone, the south-western tip of which it passes by approximately 35 miles. The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Secretary of State Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention are co-ordinating the voyage and acting as centre for communications to and from the USA's maritime authority.

As well as the information provided by the UK, Ireland has sought and received information on the seaworthiness, watertight integrity and stability of the vessels and on emergency preparedness, manning and the tug's fitness to tow. The vessels in question have been surveyed by three independent surveyors including a UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyor. The US Coast Guard has issued each vessel with a valid load line exemption certificate for the trip. Conditions attaching to the certificates provide for all openings to the hull being closed and securely fastened. Each vessel will be connected to the tug by two towing lines, while a third towing line will be rigged and available on each vessel. A second tug will be on standby in the United States of America to assist in recovery of any of the vessels suffering a broken towline and call-out contracts are in place for tugs in Europe as part of the same contingency. Each of the vessels and the tug will be fitted with satellite transponders allowing them to be accurately tracked.

The Irish Coast Guard is satisfied in principle with the preventative and response measures pro posed and will continue to monitor all aspects of the tow very closely. It will maintain contact with the relevant authorities in the United States of America and United Kingdom.

Mr. Eamon Ryan

The Minister is obviously very pleased with President Bush's environmental controls and willing to accept the risks the President is sending out across the North Atlantic. I have two specific questions for the Minister. He says we have call-out contracts with European towing vessels. Should there be a problem with one of the towing vessels and should one of the ships in question begin to edge toward Bantry Harbour or Fastnet Rock, from where will the Minister get a tug? Will we be sending out our marine research vessel to turn around these massive merchant ships?

If, owing to weather or other circumstances, the authorities in the United States of America ask for access to Irish waters, will the Minister provide it?

Mr. D. Ahern

We have been monitoring this matter from the beginning and I assure the Deputy that we have taken it very seriously. We have raised it with the UK authorities on quite a number of occasions and we cannot understand why they are willing to accept into their jurisdiction for dismantling rust buckets from another state. We have been assured that the vessels will not come anywhere near our zones and that they will be well away from our coast lines. There is nothing we can do to prevent the operations from a legal point of view.

We have put full measures in place to address all possible contingencies. Any difficulties which arise will be taken care of. As I said earlier, call-out contracts are in place in relation to tugs in accordance with normal procedure in these cases. In this instance we have been given notice of the movement of the vessels when it is usual to receive none in relation to pollution disasters.

Mr. Eamon Ryan

I asked the Minister two questions. Where will the tug come from if we need one?

Mr. D. Ahern

It could come from anywhere in Europe. There are myriad contracts.

Mr. Eamon Ryan

How long would it take a tug to get from Europe to Fastnet Rock? The Minister did not answer my second question. Will he provide access to our waters if requested to do so by the United States of America?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Will Deputy Allen ask his question? Time is too short.

Mr. Eamon Ryan

Will the Minister please answer my question?

Mr. D. Ahern

I will answer it when I come back.

Mr. Allen

I have a question down also. Was the Minister's Department in direct contact with the authorities in the United States of America and the United Kingdom in respect of this matter? There is no point saying the vessels will be passing outside our territorial waters since any maritime accident will affect us. We should learn from the lessons taught by the accident off the coast of Spain. There is no point saying tugs will be available when there is the possibility of a major environmental disaster which would affect the livelihoods of fishermen and those dependent on marine activity on the Atlantic seaboard. Why has the Minister failed to stand up to the authorities in the United Kingdom on this occasion to tell them that there will be no gain to Ireland from this commercial venture between them and the United States Navy?

Mr. D. Ahern

Is the Deputy aware of the situation which was properly averted on the north-west coast of Donegal last year? The Irish Coast Guard and the various support agencies successfully prevented a major pollution incident from happening. That was an instance at European level of the way in which the authorities can react to such scenarios. It was said that if the same had happened in relation to the Prestige a couple of months earlier, we would not have seen the disaster on the Galician coast.

Mr. Allen

The Minister is tempting fate.

Mr. D. Ahern

We have been in contact with the UK and USA authorities. In answer to Deputy Eamon Ryan's question, I do not envisage that it will be required for any boat to enter Irish waters. We will ensure that such a scenario does not happen.

Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.