Fishing industry organisations have welcomed the Minister for the Marine's move to make safety training mandatory. However, they have said life jackets must be "user friendly" if their use is to be compulsory.
The Government must also remove VAT from safety equipment, Mr Sean O'Donoghue, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, said yesterday.
The Minister, Mr Fahey, said he intended to introduce legislation soon to make safety training for fishermen mandatory, following recent tragedies off the Irish coast. Some 27 fishermen lost their lives in these waters last year, 20 of whom were Spanish, Portuguese, French or west African.
Non-Irish vessels would not be covered by such regulations, and most of the recent incidents involving rescue services have been in response to problems on Spanish flagship vessels.
The Minister's initiative will include new statutory measures requiring fishing crews to wear "suitable" personal flotation devices or life jackets. Traditionally, fishermen have argued that life jackets are too bulky and make working on deck difficult.
Ironically, the sole survivor of the Arosa, which sank in north Galway bay in October, refused to put on a buoyancy aid. However, more compact safety gear built into waterproofs has been on the market in recent years. All safety gear, charts and navigational equipment is still subject to VAT.
Mandatory safety training was recommended as one of a series of measures drawn up by a 1996 Fishing Vessel Review Group. ail TD for Donegal North-East, Ms Cecilia Keaveney, said that all of the report's recommendations should be implemented by the Minister.
Mr O'Donoghue said the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation would have to welcome any move to make the occupation safer, but it was also seeking other measures to alleviate crew shortages - a contributory factor - including introduction of a seafarers' tax allowance. A grant-in-aid scheme or some form of incentive should be considered by the Minister, he said.
Mr Jason Whooley of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation said his group would also welcome any moves to improve safety.
However, fishermen who had tried to avail of a recent grant-in-aid package for safety equipment had found that they had been penalised for missing the closing date by one or two days, he said.
