Is the Minister aware that safety has a very low priority among certain members of the fishing community, particularly among those on smaller fishing vessels which operate closer to land and that these vessels are subject only to infrequent random checks? Have the Minister's Department any proposals to ensure that the EPIRBS is fitted on all fishing vessels and all commercial and pleasure craft? The report of the Marine Rescue Service shows that there are great difficulties and that many problems arise due to the lack of proper radio equipment on these vessels.

We are fully aware that fishermen generally do not give safety a very high priority. I should like to avail of this opportunity to impress on people involved in the fishing industry the necessity to have the highest possible standard of safety equipment and to make any other arrangements that they can organise. We must stress at every possible opportunity the importance of fishermen undertaking these investments with regard to safe operation. In the new fisheries development plan which I launched yesterday we have indicated the desirability, in the training of skippers, of giving high priority to that whole area. This is something in which the fishing industry generally is becoming more interested. We must encourage the fishermen themselves to play an important role and give higher priority to this than has been the case.

Are there any specific proposals, or is there any intention of, grant-aiding small fishermen to instal these facilities? Is the Minister aware that the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre has no radio communication equipment capable of exercising direct and efficient control over search and air rescue facilities? There is an ambiguity, in that the coastal radio stations believe they exercise a radio co-ordinating function and the MRCC people believe that they should not. There is confusion in this regard and need for co-ordination. What definite and specific plans have the Minister's Department to solve this present problem?

There may be some anxiety concerning overall co-operation of effort in this area, but this has not been of any major significance. I initiated a committee, which I felt was important because there are so many agencies and people with responsibility in this area, to encourage the fullest co-operation at all times between them. There is no major difficulty in that area. In the context of the present overall review with the departmental committee and the recent report we received from the committee in the west of Ireland, there is a basis on which we can make some improvements. Some other developments are taking place which add a further dimension, for example, the automation of lighthouses means that in the future there may not be manned lighthouses and this gives further urgency to the case.

The Deputy will be aware that many agencies and many people are involved here and that much effort is put into the industry. What we have been endeavouring to do in the short time since our Department were established is to coordinate, in the best possible way, the existing agencies and voluntary effort in this regard and to utilise our resources to the best possible advantage. Also, we must look at the changes taking place, especially technological ones. In that regard we provided this year £700,000 additional revenue to modernise the VHF radio service. With one or two small exceptions, the whole area of jurisdiction is supplied with an extremely efficient and modern VHF radio network, which is essential in any search and rescue service. We have done this at a time of very strict financial controls.