Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is important tonight that we remember all the families of those who died in the Whiddy Island disaster, which I remember, and in every disaster since when people have lost their lives at sea. It is such an acute loss that never fades or goes away. Our thoughts must be centred on those families. We must serve them by ensuring that we learn lessons from disasters and avoid the same terrible fate befalling other families.

I listened to what the Deputies said and to the extensive debate we had on Second Stage, on Committee Stage and at various meetings during the lengthy pre-legislative scrutiny by the Department. I have heard and listened with respect to other Deputies and their views.

I want to get across my one view as we conclude and, I hope, pass the Bill. While we all make mistakes in public life and in public service, my experience has been that officials and board members, the vast majority of people I deal with on a daily basis, in this area and in others, are people who are motivated by the very best of intentions and are independent rather than partisan in their approach. They put civility into public service. They are professional, competent and committed, and attempt to do their duty which is to care for the public good. That has been my experience. There may be cases in which we fail in that high standard but that is what I see in the Department and on the board for which I have responsibility. I have to stand up for them because I believe it is important that that perspective is also heard.

In conversations with my officials, they will know this is true, we are looking at all options. As we said at various stages right the way through this that our systems are not perfect - far from it. They are in need of reform, modernising and improvement. We acknowledge and agree with that and I am committed, during the lifetime of this Government, to deliver the sort of marine casualty investigation unit that we would all prefer to see, that is, a unit that is independent and physically located outside. We will look at perhaps locating it with our air and rail investigation units, so that they can pull together and get some of the benefits of such a co-ordinated approach.

However, I am conscious that to fully step in that direction, to completely provide the full suite of legislation that we want or need in order to get the most perfect system, brings with it one risk that we cannot accept. That is that in the time period between the start and finish of such an important legislative organisational process, we risk having a board that would not be able to carry out its functions. We would leave ourselves and our public exposed. That is what the Bill is about. It would quickly ensure that we have a functioning board under the existing system. We accept the European court judgment and recognise that it has required us to act very quickly and to give us the capability to have a larger board so that it is fully capable of doing the important public work. That is what the Bill attempts to do. It does not seek to address all the valid concerns that I listened to - I am perfectly up-front and honest about that - because I want to be quick. I want to get these people in place as soon as possible. That is why I call on everyone in the House to support the Bill, because failing to be quick risks leaving us exposed.

We will, subject to the legal advice from the Attorney General, publish the Clinch report. We will go to Government with proposals for a new and better organised structure, which we expect and have committed to have by the end of the year. I look forward to that debate and bringing it through the legislative process, but tonight we need to pass this Bill because we are at risk. That is the very essence of this whole area. It is about trying to minimise and reduce risk and learning lessons from the past.

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