I am pleased that under section 48 the State is entitled to claim all unclaimed wrecks and will have the power to dispose of them at its discretion. Do I take it that when an owner cannot be found or if nobody is interested in acquiring the wreck it automatically becomes the property of the State?
SECTION 48.
Question proposed: "That section 48 stand part of the Bill".
No, not automatically. It is an option if the State wishes.
We should include the word "automatic".
Deputy Sheehan is not normally noted for his innocence or naiveté, he is a shrewd and able Deputy but he is missing the point here. The reason it would be unclaimed by an owner is because of the liability. It would give the State a headache and a costly headache at that. What the Minister is saying is that we already have a lot of unwanted headaches without taking on any more. If an owner is caught in that situation it would not be worth his while to salvage what is left of the vessel, whereas if the State does it will have to pick up the tab. We must have some safeguards. I should not answer a question addressed to the Minister of State but I think that is what is envisaged with all due respects to him.
If the wreck is nobody's baby then the State must step in and dispose of it in view of its environmental impact.
That is right.
The reason it would become nobody's baby is because it was unwanted and costly to handle.
What Deputy Kemmy says is correct but if it is damaging the environment the Department would then have the responsibility. It is only when there is no danger and no damage that the owner could walk away and leave it there for the State and the taxpayer to pick up the tab. There is an option there for us.
Deputy Sheehan has in mind the Bardini Reefer wreck. If something could be done about that it would solve some of the Deputy’s problems.
The more I read this Bill the more I feel the responsibility for an unclaimed wreck must lie with the State.
Question put and agreed.
Sections 49 and 50 agreed to.