Vol. 571 No. 4
139 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when it is intended to establish the new independent agency to take over all aspects of marine and water safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22055/03]
I am finalising proposals at this time for the establishment of a new independent safety agency to take responsibility for all aspects of marine safety and emergency response. My objective is to bring these proposals to Government as quickly as possible with a view to getting the agency up and running without delay.
The agency will, among other things, bring together safety services currently provided by the Irish Coast Guard and the maritime safety directorate of my Department. As a regulatory body, the agency will have a wide range of licensing functions relating to the operation of vessels in Irish waters and Irish registered vessels operating in international waters; it will play a central role in all aspects of search and rescue in both marine and inland areas; it will address ship and port security requirements on foot of recent international agreements in the International Maritime Organisation and the EU; it will promote measures to prevent pollution from oil tankers in our territorial waters; and it will maintain the national shipping registers relating to all vessel and craft types, including a new register for leisure craft.
The agency will give a high priority to programmes to promote safety awareness by the public with the objective of creating a maritime safety culture generally. Of particular importance, the agency will also give priority to the enforcement of safety regulations across the board.
Through establishing the agency, I want to move the marine safety agenda onto a new plane where there is greater public awareness of and personal responsibility for safety and I want to promote a more streamlined and effective delivery of services.
