Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I can give the Deputy the reassurance he requires. The term "radio" is included in the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Act 1952. The Deputy is proposing to insert references to full microwave and video links in respect of the type of radio equipment to be used and to require that video logs be kept. Section 15 of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Act 1952 provides that ships to which the radio communications rules apply must be provided with radio installations of such a nature as may be prescribed by the rules. The existing statutory provision is left broad and generic and does not preclude any particular type of radio communications equipment. Consideration will continue to be given when the radio rules are being made to prescribing the appropriate types of radio installation for the purposes of merchant shipping law. The existing term "radio installation" is not defined in the 1952 Act. The term, therefore, is sufficiently broad to include electromagnetic microwave and video modes to which the Deputy refers. It is not necessary to be more prescriptive in the primary legislation by including a definition of the term "radio". For this reason, I ask the Deputy to withdraw the amendment and reassure him that what he is seeking is already covered.

In addition, radio rules may prescribe requirements for the keeping of a radio log book. Consideration will be given when the rules are being made to prescribing the appropriate communications modes recorded by radio logs for the purpose of merchant shipping law. This relates to the Deputy's request to have video records kept. Again, it is not necessary to be prescriptive in the primary legislation in respect of the recording medium to be kept on a vessel's radio log. The intent of the Deputy's amendment is fully met and can be strengthened further when we come to addressing the radio rules.

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