Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Marine Survey Office (MSO) of the Department of Transport has certain responsibilities under maritime legislation, including the enforcement of safety regulations and the investigation of incidents. MSO Surveyors are warranted under Section 728 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 to investigate breaches of the Act and relevant Regulations. MSO surveyors are also warranted under Section 39 of the Maritime Safety Act 2005 for the purposes of Part 3 of that Act, i.e., investigating offences relating to dangerous or careless navigation. The MSO will fulfil its responsibilities in this case as necessary. However, details of any activities carried out by the MSO in this case will not be released so as not to prejudice any potential subsequent proceedings.

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) is the independent body which examines, and if necessary, carries out investigations into marine casualties in order to determine its circumstances and its causes with a view to making recommendations to the Minister for Transport and the commercial and recreational maritime community for the avoidance of similar marine casualties in the future. The legislative framework for the operation of the MCIB, the reporting and investigating of marine casualties and the powers of MCIB investigators is set out in the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Act 2000. In carrying out its functions the MCIB complies with the provisions of the International Maritime Organisation's Casualty Investigation Code and EU Directive 2009/18/EC governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector.