Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I can raise it at the end of the debate, if you prefer. It refers to the registration of ships generally. On Second Stage, I raised the issue of being able to register maritime liens and particularly liens for judgments which have not been satisfied. I am referring, for example, to the following: judgments for claims for wages and sums due to the master's officers and other members of the vessel's complement; claims in respect of loss of life or personal injury; claims for reward for salvage; claims for port canal and other waterway dues and pilotage dues; and claims based on tort arising out of physical loss or damage caused by the operation of the vessel. These specific liens are listed in the International Convention on Maritime Liens and Mortgages 1993, which I raised on Second Stage.

If a new register is being established, and I greatly welcome that it is, it would appear to be logical to be able to register these liens. After all, it is merely enforcing the judgments that people would obtain for any of the above reasons, including claims for wages. I would welcome the insertion of a section which includes the possibility to register such judgments.

There should be a specific provision whereby a ship could not be deregistered without having satisfied those liens. Obviously, to register a ship somewhere else, a person would have to have a certificate of deregistration from the place where it was registered previously, such as Ireland. It would be logical that one would have to satisfy the lien before one could deregister the ship.

I wish to raise that point at this stage because if I do not raise it now, I cannot table such amendments on Report Stage.