Joe O'Toole (Independent)

That is why need to see this in writing. Members on both sides of the House have agreed that we need a regulated system. I have criticised the Government more than most on this issue but we should look at the proposals first and then deal with them.

I fully support Senator Brian Hayes's point and ask that the House would formally express to the Government our view that we should convey our condolences to the Spanish people. It is also time for us to step back and recognise what has been achieved on this island in recent years through the Good Friday Agreement. Until recently stories such as we have heard from Madrid came from this island and we should remind ourselves of that, whatever the rows over advances in the peace process.

We should also commit ourselves to democratic structures, and legal and constitutional means of dealing with these issues. The occurrences at Guantanamo Bay where people are being held without regard to human rights, without justice or access to legal support flies in the face of the beliefs of everyone in this House and gives oxygen to terrorists. This is what they need to justify themselves publicly. The Irish Presidency should make known its views on that issue to the American Government, perhaps not publicly but it should be done. It does not help those of us on this side of the Atlantic to see the trampling of rights of those held in detention without trial.

I would like a debate on the report published yesterday by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board, which covered most of the deaths at sea over the past five or six years. These included accidents involving the pleasure boat and work boat in Dublin Bay, the Spanish trawler that went aground in Dingle Harbour and the trawler Áine in Donegal. These issues affect many constituencies. The vessel involved in the incident in Dingle Harbour was seen not to comply with Irish manning and technical requirements and the same was true of the incident in Tarbert. As I have previously stated in the House, flags of convenience are causing all sorts of problems. There is a range of material in this area that needs to be discussed. We only ever talk about it following a particular accident. We now have an opportunity to discuss all the recommendations, which are sensible and non-political. We all have a vested interest in getting this right for the sake of safety at sea.