Mr. Michael Keating:

No doubt the committee is well aware that on Monday last in Union Hall, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Deputy Coveney, and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, announced a specific new measure on what has become a tragedy of the sea, namely, the number of people we have been losing. I do not think it is anything new as people have been lost at sea since time immemorial. However, when one sees tragedies that might otherwise be avoided, it requires a new approach. What was announced on Monday was a new approach involving two key components - the first being a training-based one, which I must admit is so important, and training specifically in the use of modern equipment. We will roll out the availability of a new lifejacket which will be fitted with a personal locator beacon. The tragedy we saw in the past month in Waterford highlighted the fact that fishermen might be alive in the sea for a period of time but then finally succumb to hypothermia. That new scheme is hugely important.

Alongside it, there will be a task force to look at the wider area of maritime safety in the fishing sector, which will be chaired by Mr. John Leech of Irish Water Safety. Deputy Martin Ferris hit the nail on the head in that one of the many things it will look at is stability. Tragically, we see small potting boats going out to collect pots but then turning upside-down. That type of tragedy can be avoided. There are many other aspects of onboard safety at which that committee will look. I understand the Minister, Deputy Coveney, wants a report by the end of the year. It will then be up to the Department and ourselves to implement that report.

There are, critically, two components. There is grant aid for the lifejackets, locator beacons, the autopilot alarm, which will alert somebody that the wheelhouse may be unattended, and electronic position-indicating radio beacons, which are the locator beacons fitted to the vessel, particularly to the smaller boats. If they were more widely used, some tragedies might be averted. There will also be grant aid for smaller items like wireless cut-off cords for the engine so that if one falls overboard, the boat does not steam away and leave one behind.

The grant aid will be at a new rate of 60% for the smaller vessels. It will be 40% for most boats but 60% for vessels under 12 m which do not tow gear. That is the maximum we are allowed to go under European legislation.

Deputy Martin Ferris raised the specific point of whether this equipment should be made mandatory. There is a dilemma here. If we make it mandatory, under existing European Union law, grant aid is no longer available. One must remove the grant aid. The strategy we have is, I suspect, a sensible one. We will make attendance at the one-day enhanced safety training scheme every five years a mandatory obligation. It will be €75 to attend the one-day training course. One will get a card, which will become mandatory. When one attends that course, one will be given the option of paying an extra €75 which will entitle one to the full safety equipment. Immediately, attendance at the course and the card-carrying fisherman become the obligatory element. When one next presents for certification with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, carriage of the lifejackets then becomes mandatory. I hope that makes sense. By not immediately introducing a mandatory component on the lifejackets and personal locator beacons, we can continue to give maximum grant aid. We will phase in that process over the next three years. I hope that clarifies that point.

We have spent quite a lot of money over the years setting up lobster holding facilities. I agree that if one looks at the price of lobster over the course of a year, in July and August, when the season is at its height and the lobsters are most frequent, the prices collapse. If we could hold these animals and sell them at a more steady pace throughout the year, we would maximise the price. We have had success as far north as Malin Head, where there is a wonderful lobster holding facility. If there are specific projects that need to be brought to our attention, we have funds which can further help this sector.