Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the current investigation into the failure of marine emergency position indication radio beacons utilised by boat users and fishermen here; the date on which he became aware of the problems with these beacons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54399/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I became aware of concerns regarding Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons, known as EPIRBs, on 21 November. I sought and received a detailed report from my Department.  

Earlier this year, my Department became aware of four defective EPIRBs and these were returned to the manufacturer. At end October, the manufacturer informed my Department that an analysis had shown a microprocessor within the unit to be defective.  The manufacturer then issued a safety alert on 4 November advising all owners of the EPIRBs in question to undertake certain checks to confirm their equipment is working.

Under EU Directives, Bureau Veritas is responsible for certifying the devices.  My Department is not the approval authority.  Nonetheless, adopting a concerned and active approach, a range of initiatives was undertaken.  My Department issued a Marine Notice on 11 November on the matter, the first country in the world to do so.  Following my direction, my Department wrote to over 3,300 registered EPIRB owners informing them of the Marine Notice and reminding them of the importance of periodic self-checks.  Advertisements were placed in the national press and will appear in the maritime press.

My Department has notified the Paris MOU, the organisation governing Port State Control in Europe and Paris MOU has now notified its 27 Member States. My officials raised the matter at the EU's Safe Seas Committee, thereby informing the Commission and all EU Member States. My Department is in contact with the European Maritime Safety Agency, with the certifying body Bureau Veritas, with the French Administration, who authorised Bureau Veritas, and with the Australian Administration, as they are the State of Manufacture.  My Department will continue to examine EPIRBs on vessels as part of its normal surveying activities.