Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004
103 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which all seagoing vessels are inspected for health and safety purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10406/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra104 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which all tankers carrying oil, waste or hazardous substances are inspected to ensure compliance with crewing levels and health and safety procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10407/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 104 together.
As I have previously informed the House, standards for all seagoing vessels including tankers carrying oil, waste or hazardous substances are developed and adopted at international level, principally by way of international and EU Safety Conventions and regulations. These standards cover issues which include health and safety and crewing levels on board vessels.
Under Irish and international law all vessels trading into and out of Irish ports are required to carry the appropriate certification to demonstrate compliance with International Maritime Organisation — IMO — and International Labour Organisation — ILO — requirements.
All vessels are subject to surveys and inspections by their flag states and, under the European Union's port state control system, all foreign-flagged vessels using community ports are liable to inspections by any of the EU states they are visiting.
Port state control verifies that the condition of the ship and its equipment comply with the requirements of international regulations and that the ship is manned and operated in compliance with these safety rules. The international conventions covered by these inspections include the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, the STCW Convention. All crew on board a vessel must have proper certification to ensure that they are suitably trained and can adequately and safely discharge the duties of the positions they hold. On the basis of an EC directive, all EU member states are obliged to inspect at least 25% of all foreign ships entering their ports. The application of port state control ensures that at any given time a large number of ships operating within community waters has undergone an inspection by an EU Port State Control authority.
The surveying staff attached to the maritime safety directorate of my Department carry out the enforcement of all such regulations. The surveyors assign priority to foreign registered vessels that have had adverse inspection reports elsewhere or which fall into certain targeted categories. During 2003 my Department's surveyors inspected 430 foreign vessels under the port state control system, which represented an inspection rate of over 30%. Ireland therefore exceeded its goal of 25% inspection rate for foreign ships entering Irish ports during 2003.
The surveyors also inspect Irish registered vessels at least annually. When such vessels are found to be deficient, they are detained until the necessary repairs have been carried out. I believe that the monitoring of vessels by regular inspections is proving to be an effective measure in encouraging full compliance with crewing levels and health and safety procedures and is an effective method in ensuring that the vessels operating into and out of Irish ports and waters are complying with international convention requirements.
