Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá sé thar am an reachtaíocht seo a chur le chéile. Cuirim fáilte roimhe. This is a positive straightforward Bill which introduces a system of registration which is long overdue but very welcome. I am happy to speak on it. I am sure the Minister will agree it is long overdue and will take no offence when I state we required this type of legislation long before he came into office. From what I can see, the idea of a register has been welcomed by all involved in the shipping industry, including the Irish Marine Federation.

When a craft is registered in Ireland, it is allowed to confirm its nationality and fly the Irish flag. The Bill will modernise the registration process, allowing for a better log of who and what is operating in our waters and under our flag. Another important modern issue dealt with in the Bill is the need to register specifically as personal watercraft small fast-powered craft as well as ordinary small fishing and angling boats. Such craft, in particular jet skis, are now a regular feature in the bays and waterways of our country. At this time of year, with weather such as we are having, it is not uncommon to find these small fast-powered personal craft in operation. This is the key to why it is important we have a registration system. Regardless of their leisurely purpose, these are powerful craft which must be operated with the utmost regard for public safety. Everyone has heard, at least in passing, of tragedies involving jet skis. It is the responsibility of the State to ensure as much as possible that when these vessels are operated, they are in the control of responsible people who know what they are doing. We are behind many countries in this regard.

Such countries recognised before we did that there must be a registration process, as well as proper checks and balances, to ensure those who have such craft use them in a responsible way.

While many of the stories I have heard come from holiday destinations from far afield where such vessels long have been commonplace, local cases also highlight the importance of safety and the case of Mr. Alan Joyce is one such example. This young man died as a result of an accident while using a jet ski. A Marine Casualty Investigation Board inquiry into his death at Lough Beltra, County Mayo, found the craft he was operating should be licensed and that those using jet skis should be obliged to complete a mandatory training course. I definitely support this suggestion. The inquiry also found that those using jet skis that day did not receive training, were known to be poor swimmers and were not wearing lifejackets. This kind of failure to apply safety standards that would be the norm in other fields is a clear example of the need for the State to step in with regulation.

Safety on the water is key and to my mind is the most important part of this Bill. Members have debated the need for proper safety measures at sea for fishermen a number of times in the Dáil. Almost a year ago to the day, I secured a Topical Issues debate on marine safety. The Minister might recall I raised the need for personal beacons for fishermen, which could be integrated into their lifejackets or worn as wristbands. This could be done in a number of ways. The Minister might also remember this issue as it was raised twice by my colleague, Senator Cullinane, who hails from County Waterford where these are real issues and many locals have lost loved ones to the sea.

Anything Members can do to improve safety at sea both for fishermen and those who use pleasure craft should be considered. The wearing of lifejackets is essential. Irish people sometimes can have cavalier attitudes to their personal safety but they also have shown a great ability to change when an impetus to do the smart and safe thing is given. This can be seen in the introduction of seat belts, the smoking ban and the crackdown on drink driving. Standard mandatory requirements are needed for those who use these craft for pleasure purposes to minimise whatever threats or health and safety concerns might arise. The enhanced regulation of road safety, as well as a long public awareness campaign, brought about a stark shift in attitudes to safety among the public in these fields. Regulation can be used to improve safety standards in maritime life. One cannot ride a motorbike without a helmet, licence or insurance, and therefore it should be no different for a powerful and potentially dangerous craft at sea. In particular, jet skis must have strict regulations placed on them, not to criminalise those who use them but to discourage and punish misuse. This is in the interests of all involved, as are road safety issues to both driver and pedestrian.

However, despite my support for the Bill overall, I wish to speak in opposition to a trend I note has continued in this Bill and which has been a feature of current Government policy. That trend is the outsourcing of work which should be done by local authorities or other agencies under the State. The registration process should be carried out by a State agency, not a profit-making private body. In recent months, there has been the outworking of plans to privatise bus services. These moves are nonsensical, do not offer value for money and in general see a decrease in the quality and accessibility of service. This has been the case for driver licences as well. The current Administration in particular seeks to remove the State's responsibility from as many matters as possible. The Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, at present is trying to redefine social housing out of existence. It is in the interest of the public at large that a proper ship registration process is in place. It should not be a money-making exercise.

At some point in his term of office, I hope the Minister will return with improved regulation for fishing vessels, having taken on board some of the points I made earlier about personal beacons. The Minister has done some work on the use of beacons on boats and improvements in that area, which is of huge importance. There have been far too many tragedies off our coasts and lessons are not being learned from them. Some of them could have been avoided had we had better safety equipment standards on boats and in respect of those who use them. I will support anything that will improve health and safety at sea. Maritime safety is most important, but since the 1950s, there has been no proper updating or enhancing of the legislative code for the national maritime sector, and this is long overdue. We are an island nation that depends on its ability to trade with other countries through its exports and imports. We need the highest standards possible with regard to registration, logging and monitoring, as well as the environmental issues, such as pollution, which have been experienced here every now and again. The ability to monitor the conditions of ships and other smaller vessels is important, given the number of accidents that have happened at sea and in our waterways. Search and rescue operations depend on a quick response, and this Bill also helps in making it easier to find a vessel through the registration and other methods proposed, which can help to monitor as well as meet international laws and best practices.

The ability to access online registration is also welcome. Fees must be reasonable, and while the Minister did not provide Members with details, it is important that Members have some idea about the fees and that they are fairly reasonable. I also agree that registration should be mandatory in these cases because this will help to provide a proper way to weed out those who are acting illegally. As for the consultation process, I am unclear as to whether many objections were received, but from the consultation process it appears as though most people were in agreement with much of what has been said. The manner in which the message from this Bill is disseminated is important because that will be a key to pulling in the horns of some of those who would abuse this, particularly those who would use jet skis on beaches. Members often will have seen instances of people driving up in cars onto sand and other places. It is not merely about the problem they create on the sea but also about when they come onto the beaches. The power of seizure should be considered by the Minister in the context of how to deal with such vehicles. Consideration also should be given to who could be authorised to seize such vehicles, be they members of the Garda or others. I generally support this Bill and look forward to its passage.

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