Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

Last week during the debate on Second Stage I stressed that Fine Gael supported the Bill, but I have since had the opportunity to review it in more detail and would like to hear the Minister of State's response to some observations of mine. Section 2 contains definitions. A number of things struck me and I would like the Minister of State to consider them. If he cannot give a response today, he may do so when we take the final Stages of the Bill. The only person defined as being on the ship is the ship's master. In later sections, particularly those dealing with safe manning regulations and unsafe ships, the Bill makes several references to crew members and other personnel on the ship. However, these are not defined in the Bill. Can it be amended or improved in some way by including a definition of other personnel on the ship, apart from the master?

In various places in the Bill reference is made to passenger steamers. This strikes me as a quaint definition of a seafaring vessel. Would it improve the Bill if this phrase were more tightly defined in section 2?

The definition of an Irish ship in the Bill is "a ship, other than a ship of war, known as such under section 9 of the Mercantile Marine Act 1955". Does this mean the Naval Service is excluded from the provisions of the Bill? There are many references in later sections of the Bill to safety and safe manning regulations which could well be applied to the Naval Service. Does the exclusion of a ship of war from the definition of an Irish ship mean the Naval Service is excluded from the provisions of the Bill?