Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is currently reviewing health and safety regulations for industries involved in the water sports sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15433/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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As part of my responsibility for workplace health and safety I have responsibility for the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 which sets out, among other things, the roles and obligations of both employers and employees in the workplace and this includes those working in water-sports activities.

The Health and Safety Authority, which comes under the remit of my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for enforcing occupational safety and health law, promoting the prevention of occupational injury and illness, and providing information and advice to all companies, organisations and individuals on workplace health, safety and welfare. The Authority's remit includes keeping all relevant and associated statutory provisions on occupational safety and health under review and, when necessary, developing new or revised legislative proposals on health and welfare at work for my consideration.

Insofar as the water-sports sector is concerned, the Health and Safety Authority carried out a review of the Safety in Industry (Diving Operations) Regulations, 1981 (S.I. No. 422 of 1981) and subsequently prepared updated "draft" Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Diving) Regulations. These "draft" Regulations are currently being prepared for formal legal settlement. There are no other Regulations specific to the water-sports under review at this time.