Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas do na Seanadóirí go léir a labhair ar an Bhille seo. I thank Senators for their comments on the Bill, which were wide-ranging. There might have been a small number of contributors on this Stage but the quality of contributions was particularly noteworthy and I thank Senators. I do not propose to go through all the issues raised in great detail because we will have an opportunity on Committee Stage to deal with them in detail. Senators probably flagged them as issues they would like to discuss further on Committee Stage.

I reiterate what I said at the outset which has been reflected in the contributions of Senators that this Bill is being introduced as part of a maritime safety agenda to try to strengthen the measures already introduced in a range of Merchant Shipping Acts dating from 1894 to 2005, as Deputy Ó Brolcháin said. It tidies up all of those Acts. It also puts in place a number of new measures which represent further progress in bringing legislation in this area up to date and in introducing comprehensive, consolidating legislation.

We strayed from the principal provisions but they are being introduced to improve safety of life at sea. I am sure by creating the enabling provisions, we will be able to make rules and regulations for the safety of vessels. We will be able to change and alter the enabling provisions as circumstances change. That is very important. It is also essential the State is in a position to implement and enforce maritime safety provisions by having this legislation in place. This Bill strengthens that as well as the statutory basis for the enforcement of our safety agenda.

The Bill will enable us to implement the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 and all the conventions of the International Maritime Convention. It advances the agenda referred to by many of the contributors, which is safety, saving lives and preventing loss of life at sea.

Senator Donohoe raised the issue of alcohol. His party has taken a very positive position in regard to the Bill generally. I could not take on board the suggestions it made in this regard in the Dáil because we are in an international process. However, it is an important issue which I look forward to discussing further in the House. The question of disabilities is dealt with in the Bill. We have gone a good way to meeting all the requirements but I would be interested to hear Senators' views when we deal with that section.

To a certain extent, the Bill deals with employment law which was referred to by Senators Ellis and McCarthy as well as the terrible position which arose some years ago where people on board vessels which docked in Ireland were virtually on slave wages. The Bill does not deal specifically with this area because the next Bill we will introduce on the registration of vessels and so on will deal with that in detail. It is important that we do so.

A number of Senators raised the question of banning unsafe ships, which is not easy to do. This Bill gives greater powers to authorised officers once a ship docks. The point made by Senator Ellis was perhaps about the environmental dangers of an unsafe ship coming into Irish waters. It is not possible to prevent that but once a ship arrives, there is a series of enforcement measures we can take under this legislation to make the vessel safe, to prevent pollution and so on.

A number Senators referred to the possibilities in the marine sector generally for employment, of which I am very conscious. We have had the debate on a number of occasions about whether a specific Minister for the marine would be for the best. I have seen both sides of the coin and I am inclined to come down on the side of the arrangements we have currently, although I accept co-ordination might not be perfect. It is better that I deal with maritime transport. Fisheries is a very specific area of maritime activity and it is right that a Minister of State is responsible for it. My experience over the past 20 years in this area is that a Department of the marine is a small Department which does not carry as much weight as it should and that it loses out at the end of the day. One can debate these issues but I agree with Senator Keaveney's contention that whatever way it is organised, there should be co-ordination. She spoke about the co-ordination committee which was under the Minister for Defence, Deputy Killeen, but which is now under the Minister of State, Deputy Connick.

I am very conscious of the potential for employment which Deputy Keaveney mentioned. I encourage the marine development office, which is in my area of responsibility, to look for these employment creation opportunities. Senator Keaveney referred to the task force with representatives of the EU Commission and marine industry which is linked to the Maritime Labour Convention. Its objective is the training of seafarers for EU flagged ships trading internationally. As the Senator rightly said, we are talking about perhaps 70,000 people across the EU.

Ireland has a number of approved training providers, in particular, the National Maritime Training College. We are trying to ensure we benefit from that EU initiative, of which we are conscious. I agree with the Senator that it is an area which has enormous potential which we probably have not tapped into too well in the recent past. Both Senators mentioned the development of leisure tourism. Marine recreational activities could be enhanced a great deal also.

I do not propose to go into further detail. Most of the significant points made will be dealt with in detail on Committee Stage when I look forward to positive contributions from Senators. We had a good debate in the other House when we teased out a number of issues, but if Members bring forward ideas that will strengthen and improve the Bill, despite the inconvenience caused in having to return to the Dáil, I will be more than willing to consider them because it is important to get the legislation right.