Leo Varadkar
Minister Calls for ‘Sea Change’ in Maritime Safety Culture
Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has called for a sea change in attitudes to maritime safety, as he launched a new consultation process on maritime safety: Sea Change – Building a new Maritime Safety Culture. Minister Varadkar highlighted the 134 maritime fatalities which have occurred since 2002, almost half of which were as a result of leisure activities on recreational craft. He was speaking at the launch of the consultation process in the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport which included stakeholders from shipping, fishing, leisure, passenger operators, maritime safety and many other sectors.
Varadkar Publishes New Ship Registration Bill
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD has announced the publication of the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013. The Bill is one of the Minister’s legislative priorities and is part of an overall objective to update and enhance the national maritime legislative code, and ensure the safety of maritime transport services. The importance of ship registration is that it confers Irish nationality on ships, allowing them to fly the Irish flag and register ownership. The new Bill will provide a basis for the introduction of an updated and modernized ship registration system in Ireland.
