Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 82, before section 87, but in Part 6, to insert the following new section:

87.—(1) A person shall not pilot or attempt to pilot a mechanically propelled vessel while he or she is under the influence of an intoxicant to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the vessel.

(2) A person shall not pilot or attempt to pilot a mechanically propelled vessel while there is present in his or her body a quantity of alcohol such that, within 3 hours after so piloting or attempting to pilot, the concentration of alcohol in his or her blood will exceed a concentration of 50 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

(3) A person shall not pilot or attempt to pilot a mechanically propelled vessel while there is present in his or her body a quantity of alcohol such that, within 3 hours after so piloting or attempting to pilot, the concentration of alcohol in his or her urine will exceed a concentration of 67 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.

(4) A person shall not pilot or attempt to pilot a mechanically propelled vessel while there is present in his or her body a quantity of alcohol such that, within 3 hours after so piloting or attempting to pilot, the concentration of alcohol in his or her breath will exceed a concentration of 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

(5) A person who contravenes this section commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.".

My colleagues raised the issue of tabling an amendment on the use of alcohol at sea in the other House. I have the response of the Minister and will not go through the entire argument again because I saw what he said elsewhere. The gist of his argument was that he would prefer to see this being part of an internationally co-ordinated response and that a diplomatic conference was taking place in Manila in June 2010 and that he hoped to see the endorsement of some kind of co-ordinated response which would allow the issue to be moved forward.

In the absence of my amendment being accepted, since this was discussed in the Dáil are there signs from the conference, if it has already taken place, that there will be a co-ordinated response to deal with this issue? As the Minister recognised elsewhere, this is a serious point which we should find some way of dealing with.