Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004
9 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has satisfied himself that all necessary requirements for the international ship and port security code will be met by 1 July 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10204/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe maritime safety directorate in my Department is involved in the process of co-ordinating the implementation of the new maritime security measures. The directorate is constantly in touch with the relevant ship owners, ports and port facilities affected by the EU regulation and the international ship and port security code, ISPS, to ensure that they will all be compliant by the 1 July deadline and will, therefore, be in a position to continue to trade normally.
The current position is that all ports have submitted port facility security assessments, PFSAs, which are in the process of being verified and approved. A number of ports have already been approved and it is expected that all the remaining PFSAs will be approved within the next two weeks. The deadline for receipt of port facility security plans is 30 April 2004. These plans set out the procedures to be taken by port facilities during normal working conditions and also in the event of a terrorist threat. There will be no delay by my Department in the examination and approval of these plans where they are found to be compliant with the requirements of the regulation and code.
With regard to vessels, the regulation allows the responsibility for the implementation of the new security measures to be delegated to recognised security organisations, RSOs. Most ships affected by the new requirements have already submitted ship security assessments, and ship security plan verification process is under way. I am hopeful that Irish port facilities and Irish ships will all be in a position to meet the requirements of the EU regulation and ISPS code on maritime security.
I understand that the Commissioner, Loyola de Palacio, has been asking the Minister for a Europe-wide framework given the major security risks which are clearly present throughout Europe and the recent terrible events in Spain. Will the Minister confirm that, in our major ports, Dublin, Rosslare and Cork, a comprehensive security assessment was carried out for each together with the plan which I presume the Minister is getting? Has each port appointed a port security officer, in other words a co-ordinating officer? I am aware of the high level review of the ports and also the report of the port real estate task force. Are we thinking in terms of an overall port security authority or will it come within the responsibility of the Coastguard?
The maritime safety directorate in my Department is involved in the process. Two working groups have been established with the Naval Service, the Garda Síochána and the MSC in one group and a cross-departmental implementation committee chaired by an assistant secretary in the Department, Mr. Maurice Mullin, with representation from the Departments of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Transport and Defence, the Revenue Commissioners, the Naval Service and the Garda. In recent weeks, I have met the chairman and chief executive of Dublin Port, the chairman, chief executive and members of Cork, Waterford, and New Ross ports and Mr. Ben Gavin, chairman of Waterford Port, who is also chairman of the Irish Ports Association. We met Mr. Monnie Cliffe who is president of the Irish Ship Agents Association. The Deputy may rest assured that every effort and detail is being pursued to ensure we have full implementation by 1 July as required.
