David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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235. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of unlicensed charter boats that have been fined and or prosecuted that were bringing paying passengers to Irish waters, by county, in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24486/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Merchant Shipping Act of 1992 provides for the licensing of passenger boats, that is boats carrying not more than twelve passengers for reward. Passenger boat operators who wish to engage in such operations, including charter boats where the crew is provided by the owner of the vessel, must hold a passenger boat licence. The Act also provides for the appointment of authorised officers including persons holding commissioned rank in the Permanent Defence Forces, members of An Garda Síochána, harbour masters, local authorities and Iarnród Éireann and persons authorised by the Minister.

There have not been any prosecutions of unlicensed passenger boats by my Department relating to incidents that took place in the last five years.