Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 272: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on the decision to base the new coast guard and safety agency in Drogheda; and how long it will take to separate the work of the coast guard and the maritime safety directory from his Department. [14418/04]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have informed the House of my intention to bring forward proposals to establish a new agency with responsibility for all maritime safety and coast guard matters. The proposals will include locating the agency headquarters in Drogheda.

The decision to locate the agency in Drogheda was taken for operational reasons. It also reflects Government decentralisation policies. The agency will be able to undertake the necessary safety inspections of vessels visiting our east coast ports in particular. These ports handle 95% of maritime passenger traffic and over half of the total cargo traffic, much of which moves through Dublin port. The agency will also be able to deliver on its marine emergency management role, particularly in responding to any shipping incidents and oil pollution in the Irish Sea. It was identified as the area of highest risk around the coastline because of the level of maritime traffic moving in the area.

My Department's maritime safety directorate will be part of the new agency. Last year it opened an office in Cork and it will open one in Ballyshannon, County Donegal. It will provide the necessary safety services to shipping and the leisure craft sector on our south, west and north coasts.

The establishment of an agency will require legislation to be enacted and it is not possible to say how long it will take. Officials in my Department are already engaged in the detailed preparatory work. I intend to bring the detailed proposals to Government as quickly as possible.