THE Minister for the Marine, Mr Barrett, has asked that the special review group examining safety on fishing vessels report urgently to him.

The group was conducting the most wide ranging examination ever carried out of the Irish fishing fleet. An in depth survey of the safety of a large sample of the fleet has already been completed by the Marine Survey Office, Mr Barrett said.

The purpose of the group, chaired by the former departmental secretary, Mr Donal O'Mahony, was to establish what actions were necessary to ensure high safety standards and reduce the number of fishing vessel tragedies. The frequency of accidents was something which he was "not prepared to accept as being simply a matter of unavoidable fact". He had asked the group to report before the end of May.

The Minister was responding, in an adjournment debate, to the Fianna Fail spokesman, Mr Michael Smith, who said the sheer volume of accidents and loss of life made a new sense of urgency imperative.

"There may well be a culture among some fishermen which does not take sufficient account of the nature of the risk involved. It is vital that we change that, if it exists, and a start must be made now."

More must be heard about recruitment programmes, training and guidance. The Minister must introduce new safety regulations for all seafarers and procedures affecting harbour masters must be tightened.