Written answers

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Marine Safety

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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300. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a breakdown of the number of persons from the European Economic Area persons and non-EEA persons awarded BIM-approved safety cards with completed standards of training, certification and watchkeeping courses in firefighting and survival skills in 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39484/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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BIM has provided me with the figures below for all safety training provided by BIM to the seafood sector for 2014 and 2015 to date. These figures include all safety training, including Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping courses in fire-fighting and survival skills. The breakdown requested by the Deputy is not available.

-2014 2015
Irish 1,631 1,081
UK 55 54
EU 34 38
Non-EU 34 41
Total 1,754 1,214

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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301. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has acted on any of the recommendations made to him from the safety working group initiated in the wake of the sinking of the Tit Bonhomme fishing vessel in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39485/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Working Group on Safety, Training and Employment in the Irish Fishing Industry reported back to me in July this year. The working group was a cross Departmental, multi-agency group which also included members from the fishing Industry.

The working group chaired by Lt. Cdr. John Leech, Chief Executive, Irish Water Safety, was set up to examine a range of important issues for Ireland’s fishing industry such as safety standards and training on board vessels, compliance with regulations, recent technical innovations and the fishing sector’s approach to personal safety. The group were also charged with looking at options for making the fishing industry safer and more attractive, economically, as a career option for potential new entrants.

Central to the working group's recommendations on improving safety in the industry, is the need for significant culture change across the fisheries sector. I made an additional €5.6m available to the fisheries catching sector for training and skills development under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014-2020 Operational Programme. This extra funding will be instrumental in addressing recommendations in the report and driving the culture change required to enhance safety across the fisheries sector.

I am happy to inform the deputy that Bord Iascaigh Mhara(BIM) are progressing the Safety Training aspects of the report, including the enhanced training programme which provides Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) to those who complete the course. The group identified the wearing of PFDs as being critical to reducing fatalities at sea.

BIM have also progressed recommendations regarding career structures and some of these developments were showcased at Seafest 2015 (Cork), Irelands National Annual Maritime Festival. Seafest 2016 which will take place in Galway will also showcase further such developments. In addition they are working with relevant stakeholders on developments in Technical Innovation in Safety Procedures and Equipment, in particular work is progressing to develop a fit-for-purpose First Aid kit for fishers on under 15 metre fishing vessels. 

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and the Marine Survey Office who were represented on the group have advised me that they are working towards the implementation of the recommendations which are within their remit. 

The Deputy should also be aware that the Minister of Finance, published a review of taxation matters as they pertain to the maritime sector including the fishing industry as part of his budget announcement in October 2015, which was an area recommended for attention in the report.

Finally I am satisfied that in the short time since the publication of the report, progress is being made to implement the recommendations contained. 

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