The Irish Marine Federation has criticised as "draconian" the Government's proposed new rules on compulsory use of lifejackets on small pleasure craft.
The federation, which represents the marine leisure sector, has also called on the Government to withdraw value added tax from lifejackets if it is seriously committed to marine safety.
The new regulations on lifejacket use on vessels of under seven metres or 23 feet in length are due to be introduced by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Ahern, before the June bank holiday weekend.
However, the Irish Marine Federation (IMF) says that, while it welcomes any new regulations to prevent loss of life at sea, it does not support the issuing of "draconian legislation to impose their compliance".
"Safety is a matter of education, and no amount of non-policed legislation is going to inculcate a safety culture," the IMF says in a statement.
"The wearing of lifejackets in Irish waters is already high by international standards. Only a very small number of the drownings that take place in Ireland each year are due to the victim not wearing of a lifejacket.
"If the Government is really concerned about safety at sea it should immediately remove or reduce the high rate of VAT, at 21 per cent on all safety equipment, to zero rate."
Mr Donal McClement, the IMF's safety spokesman, said that the revenue accruing to the State from the VAT collected on such equipment was relatively low, and it was insignificant when compared with the cost of rescue missions.
A reduction in the high cost of purchasing essential equipment would encourage people to equip themselves properly, he pointed out.
