Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Táim buíoch don deis atá agam inniu labhairt ar an ábhar seo. It is opportune to raise this after the recent Private Members' motion led by Deputy Connolly on islands, which referred to the reality of life for people living on islands. Our islands are places that have great natural beauty and a great welcome for people who visit, as well as amazing communities that work together on so many issues. The challenges are population decline, isolation and limited economic activity.

The economic activity usually comes from three areas, namely,agriculture, fishing and tourism, which provide employment. When I speak of Cape Clear, I am not speaking about what I have read but am speaking from what I know from personal experience from many years being associated with Oileán Chléire. As I was there most recently in August, I know the reality of what I am raising here. Winter months are very quiet so the months between April until late September are vital. They are prime time for tourism. They get national and international tourists, as well as family and relatives coming back to visit the island and derive income from this tourism.

One initiative they have developed, supported by Comharchumann Chléire, is a tour to the Fastnet lighthouse. It is a major tourist attraction and boats go, supported by the comharchumann, from Baltimore, Schull and Cape Clear. It is weather-dependent but hundreds of done the tour. It has won many accolades. For example, it was recognised by National Geographicas one of the ten best on the Wild Atlantic Way, while the Irish Independentconsiders Fastnet to be one of the seven wonders of Ireland. The tour has had many beneficial effects on the island and in West Cork. Dún na Séad IIis the new fast ferry, which would be a great advantage for Fastnet tours, as she is modern, comfortable and fast. I know this from personal experience. Even on rough days it is comfortable and sturdy. As cathaoirleach of the comharchumann, Niamh Ní Dhrisceoil said, it is the future.However, the new fast ferry has been refused a licence to operate out to Fastnet within 500 m of the rock. It is this 500 m beside Fastnet that gives the unforgettable experience, which I have had. It is an amazing engineering feat.

Vessels of a smaller size are allowed to go up close, as are other boats, some of which are bigger than Dún na Séad II. From personal experience, I must say that maritime safety and passenger ferry safety are of utmost importance to the highly qualified and experienced crew who run these ferries. Consequently, I must query this decision from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, which has responsibility for both tourism and certification of these vessels.

The 500 m distance is very important for the real Fastnet experience. The irony is that some Cape Clear boats, namely, the Naomh Ciarán, the Dún an Óirand the Dún Aengus, which are all bigger boats, can go within 500 m, as can fishing boats and yachts, so why not the new ferry? Is it that the rules have not been updated to take the faster boats into account? I hope that in his reply, the Minister will tell me this has been addressed and rectified but if not, can there be a review on what has led to this decision? I ask that there be a meeting in the Department with the industry providers because policies must be reviewed, updated and improved. It is in the bigger context that islands need to increase employment opportunities and attracting visitors to them is one way of doing so. Cape Clear is in a unique geographic position to have those tours to Fastnet. It is like a gateway there and this fast ferry is a vital element of it.

I hope there will be a positive response today from the Minister.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue today. The Marine Survey Office, MSO, in my Department is the safety regulator for maritime transport in Ireland. One of its key responsibilities is the certification of vessels and to ensure the compliance of such vessels with the maritime safety requirements.

My Department cannot discuss individual vessels with third parties without the owners permission. The vessel in question, however, is a class VI passenger ship. The safety certification of passenger vessels in Ireland is set out in the Merchant Shipping Acts and consists of a number of classes of passenger vessels which set appropriate safety standards based on the number of passengers carried and areas of operation. Thus the Merchant Shipping Acts reflect the risk-exposure of passengers when being carried by sea and provide for different classes of passenger vessel of different sizes and areas of operation.

The vessel in question is a class VI passenger ship and the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Rules 1985 define class VI ships as those engaged only on voyages with not more than 250 passengers on board to sea, or in smooth or in partially smooth waters, in all cases, in favourable weather and during restricted periods, in the course of which the ships are at no time more than 15 miles, exclusive of any smooth waters, from their point of departure and no more than three miles from land.

Class VI passenger ship certificates are issued in accordance with section 8 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1992, as amended. Section 8 (1)(a) refers to the limits beyond which the vessel shall not ply being stated on the passenger ship certificate and for all class VI vessels, this will include the restrictions of proceedings no more than 15 miles from the point of departure and no more than three miles from land.

From a maritime safety perspective, in identifying suitable land to be used as a basis for plying limits, the MSO assesses if locations are suitable for the landing of passengers in an emergency and this would include the mainland or any island which is normally inhabited and which has piers or berthing facilities which are in regular use.

The Fastnet Rock lighthouse is 3.5 miles from Cape Clear Island. The Fastnet Rock is not considered as land for the purpose of the determination of plying limits, as it is not a place of refuge. It is a small uninhabited island without any landing facilities. It would inappropriate for the MSO to agree this as a suitable place of refuge.

For those reasons, the Fastnet Rock is not utilised by the MSO as a basis for issuing plying limits and class VI vessels are not permitted to operate there as it is more than three miles from land. Representations were made to my Department on this matter in August this year. The reply issued included alternative solutions to the matters raised.

I wish to advise that there are a number of passenger vessels of classes other than class VI which are certified for tours around the Fastnet Rock. These vessels are certified as different classes in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Acts and such vessels are compliant with the applicable maritime safety regimes and are offering tours around the rock.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I am quite embarrassed for the Minister given that answer. There were a lot of technical details in it at which I will look with the people there. I have to say categorically that nobody working on those boats would ever jeopardise their own or their passengers safety. The answer is quite incredible. I hope the Minister gets the opportunity to see it because it is one of those really unbelievable experiences.

There is a special relationship between the island and Fastnet lighthouse. The lighthouse was originally on Cape Clear, where it was built in the 1800s. It was on Cape Clear for quite a number of years until it moved to Fastnet. One can land on Fastnet because it was a working lighthouse until some years ago, when all the lighthouses were automated. Nobody on the boat wants to land on Fastnet. All they want to do is to go around Fastnet to see up-close the amazing architectural and engineering feat that it is. I am unsure if the Minister saw the amazing programmes on the lighthouses of Ireland that was on RTÉ. It gave a really good perspective on Fastnet.

I refer to the national marine planning framework and its vision. It states: "Our ocean wealth will be a key element of our economic recovery and sustainable growth, generating benefits for all our citizens, supported by coherent policy, planning and regulation, and managed in an integrated manner." This is one way to generate benefits for people on an island who are struggling because the population is going down and they face quite a number of challenges.

This boat can carry 100 people in comfort, style and safety. It came from Norway, where it was operating all year round. There are more severe sea conditions there, but it is not allowed to travel around or near Fastnet during the summer months. It is quite incredible that the other boats can operate but this particular fast and comfortable ferry cannot. I hope this decision can be reviewed because this is a new boat. Why can this not be looked at again?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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It would be fair to say that I am impressed by the case Deputy O'Sullivan has put and I will seek a review of the reply which I have given today.