Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

Very well. That said, the task of Members this morning is to facilitate the Committee Stage debate as soon as it commences, which is the reason they have short points to make. This is a highly complex issue and it is important to get it right. Members must tease out on Committee Stage whether there are special or significant Irish aspects to this convention that ought to be included but which are not. Similarly, they must ascertain whether this international convention can be made stronger or whether there are areas in which one could add to the regulations to make it safer for all.

I wish to address two issues. First, the issue of alcohol consumption was raised during the Committee Stage debate and I tabled an amendment proposing new regulations to control drink-driving at sea. In other words, it pertained to a person on a vessel, not necessarily its master, who has consumed alcohol and is working on the ship. I note this issue is not included in these proposals. My key point at the time was that the Marine Casualty Investigation Board made a recommendation to the Department of Transport concerning the lack of legislation covering drunkenness on a vessel and the fact that a legal alcohol limit did not apply to anyone, be they masters or crew. The Minister indicated that he would address these issues on Committee Stage, but he has not identified them from what I see. What is the status of the proposal, which the Minister accepted in principle? It is important that it be addressed and that the same rules apply on boats as apply to drivers of land vehicles. I await the Minister's comments.

Marine safety is an important issue. During yesterday's Priority Questions, we debated the rescue services, particularly as they relate to people who get into difficulty on boats in the south east. I asked the Minister a direct question, but I was not satisfied with the reply. I asked whether the Air Corps had been consulted on providing the marine helicopter rescue service. Unless I am misquoting him, he told me that it had been approached. As I understand it, the Air Corps has made no assessment of whether it can provide such a rescue service from Baldonnel for the Dublin area. Were such an assessment carried out, it would show that the Air Corps had the capacity to provide the service and that the €500 million the Government will give the preferred contractor, who has gone through due process, would militate against the service's provision by the Air Corps.

Yesterday afternoon, we asked for the transport committee to meet urgently to debate this issue further before the Minister signs the order. Will he clarify the issue? The Air Corps was not consulted and has not carried out a fact-finding analysis of whether it could provide the service and what the service's cost would be. If the Air Corps was asked to conduct the analysis, we would find that the cost of providing the service would be significantly cheaper, that the Air Corps could expand its current role at Baldonnel, meaning that it would not need a new facility, and that it would be better for the country in the long run.

I wish to reiterate another of my points on marine safety that I made yesterday. The population, particularly the maritime population in the broadest possible sense from fishermen to vessel owners and so on, is concerned that if people get into difficulty outside the 12 hours during which a service is provided on-site, they will not all be reached within the golden hour. People are worried that, despite the €500 million that is to be spent during the next ten years, the Minister is not making the same provision for saving each of those lives as he has made everywhere else. There is no way a helicopter in Dublin can bilocate. If a vessel off the coast of County Waterford or Wexford is in difficulty, a helicopter from Waterford would get there more quickly than a helicopter from Dublin would irrespective of how powerful the latter is. People would be in the water for longer than necessary. This must result in tragedy. When immersed in water, survival time has nothing to do with being a good swimmer. Rather, it has to do with losing body heat. Someone can die quickly.

The decision the Minister is about to make places people at risk and will lead to tragedy. Despite the number of lives that could clearly be saved, the Minister's decision will save €1 million per year. For an extra €10 million in a budget of €500 million, the Minister would be able to guarantee the timely arrival of a rescue helicopter on a 24-7 basis in the south east. This is the core of my criticism of the Minister's actions. We are deeply unhappy with this situation and will raise it on Committee Stage. I want to Minister the revert to those who told him that the Air Corps, as opposed to the Department of Defence, had been asked to conduct an analysis.

The greater part of this debate will occur on Committee Stage. I have spoken with the Minister's officials. Key to this issue is that the end users who will be affected by these regulations should be consulted beforehand. This legislation will allow the Minister to make those regulations. There should be full consultation with every body or person that will be affected by these proposals. I accept the principle that we must apply international safety regulations rigorously and as quickly as possible. I would have no problem with supporting Committee Stage amendments to go above and beyond the international regulations. Will the Minister reply to my points, please?

See this speech in context