Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I join others in welcoming the Minister to the House and I am pleased to contribute to this debate. I also welcome the Bill, which will have positive implications for those citizens affected by the terrible financial consequences of oil pollution of the sea. We have seen the importance of dealing with issues of compensation and civil liability in recent years following the incident involving the Erika off the French coast in 1999. This brought the question of oil pollution of the sea and the associated costs to the forefront of international debate, and this process was given added impetus following the incident involving the Prestige off the coast of Spain last November.