KENNY WELCOMES OVERHAUL OF MARITIME SAFETY AND MARINE EMERGENCY SERVICES

Posted on July 25, 2013 12:14 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Sean Kenny, has today welcomed the announcement of an Action Plan to improve Maritime Safety and Marine Emergency Response Services, including an overhaul of related operations within the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport.

"The Action Plan will set up the Irish Maritime Administration, which will bring together the Irish Coastguard and the Marine Survey Office. Given the very sad drownings over the last number of weeks, I think this is very timely. Water is an important but also a potentially lethal environment. The new Irish Maritime Administration will further focus the Department of Transport and its agencies on marine safety and protecting lives at sea, whether that's for leisure, fishing at sea, or shipping."

"The number of tragedies occurring around our coastline, and the families whose lives have been devastated by the loss of loved ones, has thrown into sharp focus the need for a new Maritime Safety Strategy. My key concern will be to create a culture of safety at sea, building a deeper awareness of what measures we can take to tackle risks together.
"The Irish Maritime Administration will have an over-riding emphasis on safety and will co-ordinate efforts more closely between the Irish Coastguard - which provides an emergency maritime response service - and the Marine Survey Office - which monitors safety standards on boats and in ports."

"The new set-up will also oversee the new Maritime Safety Strategy, which was announced earlier this month and will improve Ireland's readiness for major oil pollution incidents, integrate operations between the three Coast Guard Co-ordination Centres in Malin, Valentia and Dublin and enhance volunteer training in the Coastguard."