Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)

Like the Minister, I compliment the captain on the very effective way this crisis was dealt with. Everybody came out of it safe and sound. The French authorities also played an important part in the rescue. Having said that, we still do not know what happened. I have read speculation that debris from ships floats around this area and that it is quite a problem.

I understand from the initial under-sea survey that the cause is not readily visible. Effectively, it is not clear whether the damaged plank the Minister mentioned was caused by impact with the seabed or whether it was the cause of the accident.

Salvage is now on the agenda and, obviously, the tenders will have a bearing on whether that happens. I take the points the Minister made that we do not know what happened and that it may be some time before he knows.

Have ships such as the Dunbrody or the Jeanie Johnston been considered by Coiste an Asgard as possible replacement sail training vessels? That project is at an initial stage, if at all. Will something happen before the end of the year?

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