John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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108. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will meet with a person (details supplied) to discuss the case of a former fishing vessel which was purchased in the Netherlands in 2007 and subsequently deemed as unstable and thus unseaworthy; the contact that he has had with the European Union Commission in relation to this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21005/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The fishing vessel “MFV Mary Kate” at the time when it was first presented for registration in Ireland came within the 15m to 24m sector of the fleet. At that time there was no safety survey or certification scheme for such vessels and there were no regulations for the structure, stability or machinery. At that time when the “MFV Mary Kate” fishing vessel was registered on the Irish flag it just required a tonnage survey carried out by the Marine Survey Office (MSO) of my Department.

New safety regulations, SI (2007) 640, were introduced by my predecessor to address the safety of fishing vessels in this length category. These regulations had a phase in timeline and required compliance for existing fishing vessels over a number of years from 2007 to 2010 depending on the keel laying date of the vessel. For the “MFV Mary Kate” this meant that compliance was required in 2009. In some cases, the MSO would not be able to issue a safety certificate to an existing fishing vessel which came within the scope of the new regulations until it had been brought into compliance and this was the case for the “MFV Mary Kate”.

It appears that the issue in this case relates to the differing safety standards applicable to fishing vessels in the 15m to 24m length category in EU member states. I wish to advise that my Department did make both the European Commission and all other Member States aware of potential safety concerns with other similar fishing vessels. 

I further wish to advise that any issues relating to fisheries aspects of this case fall under the purview of my colleague the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.