Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will respond briefly on the two points the Deputy raised. Nothing I say here prohibits him from tabling an amendment on Report Stage, but I will outline my current assessment of the issue.

The Deputy's point about public access to the register is correct. Many aspects of the register, which will have different sub-registers below it, will be available for public access. It will also be possible to obtain a certified copy of particulars entered in a register book on the registry of a ship and to view or obtain copies of transcripts of registry for any registered ship at the general register and record office. There might well be other aspects of it that are not available for public view, but many of the areas that would be of most interest to the public will be available for public access.

The Deputy might be considering a potential amendment relating to the issue of judgments against ships and so forth.

I draw the committee's attention to section 53 which provides the power for the High Court, on the application of an interested person, to make an order prohibiting any dealing with a registered ship or a share in a registered ship for a specific period and on terms and conditions that it decides.

Under section 53(2), a court order is binding when served on the Minister. This means that a ship cannot be removed from the Irish register of ships while the order is in force. I realise this does not address entirely the point the Deputy has made, but I am seeking to emphasise that, in circumstances in which an appeal is made to the High Court, the owner of the vessel is prohibited from doing certain things.