Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State. I welcome the legislation, which is needed. I do not have the slightest difficulty in supporting it because it is sensible.

I have a certain difficulty with the tone of the speeches so far in this debate. It is easy to be prissy and nannyish about such matters. I have been bothered by jet skis and power boats in places as far apart as Dingle, Dromineer and Kinsale. I know regulations are necessary. It is great to see people on the water. It is to be expected that young people, who tend to be the main users of jet skis, will act like young people. The Bill is welcome because we do not have regulations. Although we passed a law some years ago giving local authorities certain powers, this legislation makes further advances. It is welcome and necessary.

If one is having a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in one's boat at the marina in Athlone, there is nothing as bad as being disturbed by some youngster scooting along in a jet ski, creating enough of a wave to turn over half the boats in the harbour. It is extremely annoying, particularly for people on beaches and on lakes along the River Shannon, where one sees a great deal of this behaviour. One can easily engage in such activities in other places. If one travels a short distance from Athlone to the hotel at Hodson Bay, one will find a protected harbour from which boats can be launched. Jet skis can operate away from the harbour without interfering with craft in the harbour. We need to examine such areas and to apply the rules in a sensible manner.

I would hate to introduce regulations that would prevent people from going on the water. When I was younger and fitter, I skied and engaged in sub-aqua diving. We had fast boats, which we called RIBs, with big engines hanging out the back. I am sure we bothered people and I am sure we were wrong to do so. It is time to regulate this area.

It is great to see people on the water pursuing healthy activities, whether sailing or using jet skis. The Bill is very measured. I do not have any difficulty with it giving this power but I ask the Minister to keep a close eye on it.

I want to raise a number of points about issues that are not included in the Bill. There is much reference to people found in contravention of the regulation or by-laws. That raises one issue for me in particular, namely, the registration of craft. There should be a number on every jet ski, pleasure boat and RIB to make them identifiable and allow them to be registered. If the Minister has time he might go through the stages of registering a boat in his Department and see if he can do that without going bonkers because of the weight of regulations.

I am not an expert in this area. I have not registered my boats because I have been warned off doing so by people, but when I have taken my boat abroad and I am asked for my papers, I give them a set of papers I made up. They are not illegal. They look official. I have a number on them and so on and I just hand them to the harbour authorities. I talked to a friend who registered a boat through the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and it was torture. The problem is that all craft — I am not blaming the Department, it is just the current regulation — are treated the same but there should be an easier system of registration for pleasure craft. All it would take is for somebody to say that every properly built boat will have a hull number, which will normally be given by Lloyds if it is any type of decent craft, and a manufacturer's number to make it identifiable. Every boat in Germany has a number on it and they are all licensed. One often sees boats in Irish harbours or at sea which are numbered but they have been bought abroad. I ask that the Minister take my suggestions on board.

The Minister has given authority to various people and in one part of the Bill there is reference to the coastguard. I want to refer to the importance of the coastguard. We all grew up along the coast and we recognise the importance of the coastguard. In many ways the coastguard could now become responsible for marine safety, although not for implementing the Bill. Who will implement the law on life jackets, which I welcome? Who will implement these by-laws? The Minister has given authority to certain people to be the nominated persons, which is wise and necessary, but the job of the coastguard has always been to save lives and protect people. It now appears it might have a role to play in warning people they are breaking the rules as regards personal water craft, life jackets or whatever.

Where does the Minister place the coastguard in his scale of reference? They are a group of people who have much to offer. There are two categories involved. There are the full-time, permanent members of the coastguard, but there are also the other people along the coastline. I know the people in Dingle, who provide an invaluable service. We should use their expertise, allow them be part of an advisory structure and have an input into the policy of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in order to develop these areas. I would also like them to have some input to decision making. They are an extraordinary resource but they should have access to State provided training to upgrade their equipment and be brought up to date with the latest methods from various parts of the globe.

There is probably a need for some financial support for people in the voluntary area of the coastguard. As Tom McSweeney tells us every week, we are an island nation and in that sense we depend on these people. I ask the Minister to consider, in particular, the coastguard whose members should be properly recognised and given a status.

I am not sure if it is the coastguard, which operates the coastal radios. I am often on the radio to them but if I am on to Valentia, I do not know whether it is the coastguard in Valentia, the weather station or something else I am talking to. If one is speaking to the coastguard in the United Kingdom or other countries, one will always be asked for a call sign or number.

That raises another issue in terms of operating boats and it is one that comes up all the time. Must people in charge of craft have a radio licence? I believe the law states that they do. I have done navigation courses over the years, although I have to say I was using boats for many years before I bothered doing navigation or handling courses. It was more a case of seeing how the theory worked in with the practice apart from anything else.

This Bill reflects a cultural change in our attitude towards the water. It is as important as equal pay legislation or the Equality Act 1997. It is a wake-up call, although it is important not to put too many restraints on people. I want to see more people enjoying the water, especially children, although I realise we have to tell them to slow down, not to make too much noise because it is Sunday afternoon or go a half mile offshore before they engage in some sporting activity. That is fine. Even if it annoys us it is better to see people doing that than many other activities they could pursue. We talked this morning about alcohol and last week the issue of smoking was raised. This is a healthy outdoor activity, even if it is irritating, noisy and troublesome. We need to get the balance right and we all share that view.

When one considers the horrific accident in Cork Harbour last year in which somebody died, we realise these activities are about people acting sensibly. Most accidents at sea happen because people do not have due respect for the sea, the weather or their equipment. There is nothing as worrying as to see some guy from Dublin in Dingle who has just bought a big boat, with large engines, which he intends to sail back to Dublin that night despite the fact that a small craft warning has been issued. He will take on those waves and not worry about a force 7 gale whereas people born beside the sea will go for a pint and wait for the weather to settle down. I would hope to see people in charge of craft having to address these issues and at least be aware of their sense of responsibility.

I welcome the legislation, which represents an appropriate balance, because we can get things done in the implementation of it. For example, the RNLI and some other groups produce checklists. One can get a safety checklist from the RNLI or from the Irish yachting association. It would be appropriate for the Department to circularise those — perhaps it does that already. However, it does not have a list of every boat, boat owner or registration information. That is where it must start. I wish the Bill well.