Section 21 on mutual assistance transposes the requirement of the EU directive that the MAIU must co-operate with and provide assistance to the marine safety investigation authorities of other member states for investigations that fall within the scope of the directive and impact on one or more of the member states. It also provides that only one member state should lead an investigation that impacts on more than one member state. Parallel investigations may only be carried out in exceptional circumstances, and the…

I thank the Senator for raising the issue. There are a number of matters. There is nothing in the Bill that precludes the MAIU from engaging with the coroner. Nothing in the Bill precludes a coroner from referring to a report of the MAIU during an inquest because questions of liability, whether criminal or civil, are not part of the coronial process. It is a strict requirement of the new directive that the investigations of the MAIU must be independent of other parallel investigations. The sharing of evidence betwe…

Nothing in the Bill precludes the MAIU from engaging with a coroner.

Absolutely. In addition, nothing in the Bill precludes coroners from referring to a report of the MAIU in their investigations. This is the kernel of what Senator Higgins is saying, which is that there should be a sharing of information.

I will respond to amendments Nos. 20 to 26, inclusive. The purpose of Part 8 is to allow us to regulate offshore service vessels, and there is a key aspect in this section which provides the Minister with the power to make rules for such regulation. I confirm that it is my intention, if and when this Bill is enacted, to have rules progressed as soon as possible using that power. Indeed, work has already commenced in updating the cargo ship rules and high-speed craft rules which will form the base certifications for…

The Senator proposes the deletion of an exemption provision. This is a practical provision, however, and it makes sense to include it, given the various types of offshore vessel we will be legislating for. The Senator suggests that no exemptions should be permitted under rules implementing the safety convention and the IP code or for offshore service vessels involved in certain activities. I must point out that the safety convention itself has exemption provisions within it that recognise that features of a novel k…

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I am pleased to introduce the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024 for the consideration of the House. The Bill establishes a marine accident investigation unit, MAIU, within the Department of Transport and provides for a transition from the current Marine Casualty Investigation Board, MCIB. The MAIU, led by a chief investigator and staffed by full-time permanent investigators, will serve as the designated investigative authority under the EU directive on …

I thank the Senators for their contributions, all of which I listened to intently. I will try to answer some of the questions raised. In regard to pre-legislative scrutiny, this was carried out by the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. Its report was published on 2 May 2023. Where appropriate, the recommendations of the committee were incorporated in the Bill - for example, a broad definition of "ship" was used in the Bill along with the MAIU to investigate marine accidents involving a wide range of v…

As the Deputy may be aware, a number of significant improvements are planned across Ireland's rail network over the coming years, including on the Dublin to Rosslare line. Last year, some changes to timetables on the line were introduced, including a new late evening service between Wexford and Gorey. I look forward to similar such timetable improvements being introduced in the coming years. My Department is also working to pursue the recommendations in the all-island strategic rail review, including an increase in…

I hear the Deputy's frustration when he suggests there should be better and more frequent services. This is where the all-island rail review comes into focus. Improvements in the line to Wexford and Rosslare are part of the overall plan. Some of the infrastructural investment that has to go in will be a challenge, considering where the line is and the infrastructure that will be required. It is important we have connectivity to the regions, including Wexford and Rosslare, and to have it equal to every other part of…

We are on the same wavelength here. We need proper investment and to deliver infrastructure that suits people's demands. On the Dublin-Belfast issue, the popularity of the train service has created additional demand. That is a good thing. It means it is working. We have to keep it working right across the country and put investment into it. We also have to provide a good passenger experience to retain long-term customers. We need to invest a lot of money in bringing the rail network up to a standard that will attra…

I thank the Deputy. As she may be aware, the NTA published the final new bus network design for Galway in December 2023. The redesign of the bus network is one of the key elements of BusConnects Galway, which aims to transform the city’s bus system, making public transport more useful to more people. This new Galway network redesign involves extensive analysis and public consultation. The NTA carried out a detailed review of the bus network in collaboration with Galway City Council, Galway County Council and local …

I, too, question why we have to wait two years to get it implemented. It is something I will be going back on because it is important that we deliver infrastructure faster. The Government's approach is to implement things rather than strategise them. We have enough of the paperwork done. We need to get it going. We have a huge problem with traffic in Galway city. We need to push on with the projects we need in the city, which will affect the county in its entirety. At the moment, we are developing Ceannt Station, b…

The Deputy is not the first public representative to talk to me about Mervue, so I am well aware of it.

On the detail the Deputy is looking for as regards the running of the bus service and the contracts that will be in place, that is information I do not have now. I will come back to the Deputy because it is something I need to know about myself. As I said, I am just into the job so I will be finding out.

I thank the Deputy for her kind words. As she is aware, the National Transport Authority published a light rail feasibility study for Galway last October for information. The study was prepared as part of a mode-specific analysis undertaken for the development of the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy, which the NTA is developing, in conjunction with Galway City Council and Galway County Council. A strategic roads feasibility study is also being undertaken. The findings from both studies will be used to in…

I understand the Deputy's frustration when she talks about this particular problem we have in Galway. I hope we will be able to find solutions. One of the frustrations is that we spend a great deal of time on strategies and plans when we need to spend a little bit more time on implementation so that we can actually see the improvements reaching people on the ground. The light rail feasibility study was published for information last October. It was prepared by experts in international transport. It is a study for i…

The Deputy is right. I mentioned earlier that rail infrastructure in Galway is being developed with the development of Ceannt Station and the granting of planning permission for the passing loop at Oranmore. It is important that we create better connectivity into the city but also that we create a city in which you can move around in comfort. On the issue of the park-and-ride facilities that were planned and approved by councillors, I will check that out. I will be meeting with the executive in both the city and co…

As the Deputy is probably aware, this is a project I have been pursuing for a long number of years. The final report of the all-island strategic rail review was published in July last year, following extensive public consultation. The report sets out 32 recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 2050, aligning with decarbonisation commitments in both jurisdictions. The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and w…

There is a timeline. I said that the all-island rail review mentioned a start date of 2030. However, with the review of the national development plan, and in view of the fact that the project does not need planning permission or a rail order, it is a project that can be implemented a lot quicker than that. I hope to talk to and continue to engage with officials. In the context of the national development plan, we hope to ensure that this project gets going as soon as possible. As we said earlier, it is important th…