Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

My amendment proposes certain special provisions. I mentioned search and rescue, SAR, as one of the contexts that may arise in which special expertise is required, alongside environmental expertise. In effect, the amendment provides for special provisions search and rescue operations that may be undertaken by the vessels covered under this legislation.

The special provisions I propose are that when conducting a marine safety investigation involving search and rescue, the marine accident investigation unit, MAIU, should do the following: take into account the unique operational context of emergency response and the time-critical and high-risk nature of such operations; distinguish between decisions made during an emergency response and standard operations; ensure investigators have appropriate expertise in search and rescue contexts; establish a memorandum of understanding with other relevant SAR organisations, including but not limited to the Irish Coast Guard, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, RNLI, and volunteer rescue services, to ensure appropriate co-ordination during the investigations; and that there be certain tasks that volunteer members of search and rescue organisations should not be required to do, considering their volunteer status, including activities to do with biological samples and medical examinations, interviews outside of reasonable hours or locations and documentation beyond that which would usually be maintained.

It is about recognising that there may be a situation wherein volunteers are involved in an incident that requires investigation by the MAIU, that there may be a need for certain slightly different provisions that recognise the voluntary nature of those roles and that their position is slightly different from that of the employees and personnel covered in other aspects of the legislation.

Are amendments grouped, a Leas-Chathaoirligh? May I speak on amendment No. 2?