John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 208: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his Department will supplement mandatory courses on VHF radio, sea survival and first aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6679/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, has been allocated national development plan funding of €12.7 million under the employment and human resource development operational programme 2000-2006 for ongoing sectoral training in the Irish seafood industry. The training referred to by the Deputy, mandatory basic safety training and GMDSS radio training, is available in BIM's national fisheries college, Greencastle, County Donegal, the regional fisheries centre, Castletownbere, County Cork and on BIM's two mobile coastal training units which visit about 30 rural coastal locations per annum. The costs of these courses are subvented for fishermen and do not reflect the full economic cost of delivery.

Mandatory basic safety training introduced by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources under the Fishing Vessel (Basic Safety Training Regulations) 2001, SI 587 of 2001, consists of three individual one day modules: personal survival techniques, elementary first aid and fire prevention and safety awareness. The cost of each module is €75 if taken individually and €150 if taken in a three-day session. This represents a very modest cost for these important safety training courses which are of a very high quality and are helping to save lives in the fishing industry.