Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this straightforward legislation. In 2008, Noel Dempsey, when transport Minister, initiated a process which has led to the publication of this Bill. He established a consultation process to develop a system of ship registration which would be coherent and clear. A central register was at the core of that. It is important that vessels be clearly registered, identifiable and trackable. As the Minister stated:

There are gaps in the existing legislative framework in that there is no specific power to remove unsafe and unsuitable ships from the Irish register; there are no provisions allowing for registration for specified periods or purposes or for renewal of registration, and the penalties are outdated.

Safety, obviously, is a significant factor at the core of the importance of registration with 3,200 registered vessels. Security is also a significant factor with the increasing problem along our coasts, especially in more remote areas, of the illegal importation of drugs.

The tightening of central registration would be effective in monitoring and, hopefully, reducing that nefarious activity.
The catalogue of ships subject to registration excludes warships. What is that about and why should they be exempt? I see no reference to car ferries. I stand to be corrected. Are car and pedestrian ferries included in the Schedule? The most striking development initiative is the inclusion of the small pleasure craft, particularly the infamous jet skis, which I warmly welcome. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach will know, we in Kerry have had a lot of trouble on our beaches and in our resorts with people behaving in an irresponsible fashion and being a danger to themselves and others, especially young people and children. It is very good that this is being attended to now. The Minister said:

The inclusion of personal watercraft and small fast-powered craft reflects the growth in their use ... Reports from the Marine Casualty Investigation Board have identified incidents of marine casualties involving recreational craft, with recorded incidents involving jet skis causing deaths in 2003, 2006 and 2007, and involving fast-powered craft, in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The MCIB has recommended this registration and the Minister is complying with it and, again, we are at one with him on that.
The process is to be phased in over a period. Has the Minister an end date in mind? When will the process be complete and the central registry up and running? We are around long enough to know that a "nominal fee" can be anything but nominal. Sometimes fees grow exponentially. What revenue does the Minister hope to bring in from this? Although it is clearly not his priority in this Bill, one wonders what it will come to. Rationalisation always brings job losses. Is there a jobs consideration in this Bill and will the Minister comment on it?
Maritime law is completely different from regular law. I spent 16 years as a director of a port company, namely, Shannon Foynes Port Company, before that Shannon board and before that Limerick Harbour Board in its old manifestation. I learned much about the shipping business. It has a different language. In an interview about the railway situation the Minister said he was a romantic and found a great sense of romance in trains. Much of the language of this Bill is redolent of the Patrick O'Brien series of novels about Jack Aubrey, Master and Commander, set in Nelson's navy. A man who finds the 11 o'clock train to Charleville romantic must have got a great kick out of this.