I move amendment No. 12:

In page 30, subsection (2), between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following:

"(a) as the appropriate authority under section 51 or 52,".

This is a technical amendment.

Has it always been an offence to board a wreck or a stranded vessel without permission or is this a new provision?

The law, as it stands, is inadequate to cater for this area. It has not always been an offence, as far as I am aware, to board an abandoned vessel.

It has been a grey area. I have never seen a wrecked ship that was not stripped very quickly by the locals and the law has never interfered. Sometimes I felt sorry for the owners of the ship or trawler when everything was taken.

The ship was regarded as open territory when it was abandoned but this measure will tighten up the laws in that regard. It will prevent that occurrance in future as it will be an offence. The Deputy is right. I am aware of the wreck he has in mind.

We could mention about a dozen.

I know of one in the Deputy's area. This section will curtail that activity in future.

Does it mean that a member of the Garda Síochána will be on board the wreck or adjacent to the wreck at all times?

No, not at all times. The authorised officer will decide who should guard the wreck or the area around the wreck.

It was the original form of asset stripping.