Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Transport the person who has responsibility for the functions formerly carried out by the National Safety Council and not taken over by the Road Safety Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19495/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The only function of the National Safety Council not taken over by the Road Safety Authority in 2006 was Fire Safety which was transferred to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Transport the responsibilities his Department has for accident prevention, such as personal accidents in public places and so on, that are not covered by the Road Safety Authority or the Health and Safety Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19557/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Accident prevention in the maritime sector is promoted via a safety programme involving an appropriate combination of statutory regulation and enforcement. My Department also has a proactive role in raising awareness on maritime safety. Each year a safety awareness programme is undertaken in conjunction with other State bodies, the aim of which is to achieve the highest level of safety at sea and on inland waters.

Safety standards, which include health and safety at an operational level on board vessels, are enacted under Irish and international law for all vessels trading into and out of Irish ports. Vessels are required to carry appropriate certification to demonstrate compliance with, for example, the International Maritime Organisation's Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and the International Labour Organisation's Prevention of Accidents (Seafarers) Convention.

A suite of regulations has also been implemented in relation to all categories of fishing vessels. In addition my Department recently published a revised edition of the Code of Practice for The Safe Operation of Recreational Craft. This sets out best practice for various types of recreational craft including vessel standards, equipment, safety operations, emergency procedures and current legislative requirements.

The Marine Survey Office of my Department, together with other relevant bodies, conduct regular inspections of all seagoing vessels, under the relevant inspection regimes, to ensure compliance with the conventions and regulations.

Where accidents do occur, and subsequent incident investigations result in recommendations to avoid similar marine casualties in the future by addressing any shortcomings in either the statutory basis or in relation to enforcement arrangements, such recommendations make a significant contribution to ongoing development of the maritime safety agenda.

The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) of the Department of Transport is responsible under Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation), EU Council Directive 94/56/EC (21 November 1994, and Statutory Instruments S.I. No 205 of 1997, Air Navigation (Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Regulation, 1997, for the investigation of all aviation accidents and incidents that occur in the State and to provide technical and operational assistance to foreign States that conduct investigations into Irish Register aircraft aboard. The sole purpose of these investigations is to prevent aviation accidents and incidents. It is not the purpose of any such accident investigation and the associated investigation report to apportion blame or liability.