A new division has been established by the Minister for the Marine within his Department to deal with safety regulation among pleasure craft users.
The division will focus on regulation of small craft, jetskis and adventure centres, in the wake of a series of accidents involving pleasure boat users over the summer.
Dr Woods has also established an action group on small boats, including fast craft and jetskis, which held its first meeting in Dublin yesterday.
The Minister has promised to act swiftly on recommendations, which may include licensing and registration of pleasure craft, competence testing of both instructors and operators of vessels, and regulated use of life-jackets.
The Irish Sailing Association has already stressed that its own voluntary safety codes are effective, and has said compulsory use of life-jackets would be unenforceable.
The Minister hinted at such compulsory measures yesterday, when he said in a statement that "it seems essential that all users, particularly children, should be required to wear life-jackets".
Dr Woods said he wished to put strong measures in place which would reduce the level of human tragedy witnessed in recent months.
"I also want to put a stop to irresponsible behaviour by a small number of fast craft users, to protect the safety of other water users," he said.
The action group is chaired by Mr Clayton Love, an accomplished sailor and businessman who recently retired from the position of deputy chairman with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
The group includes representatives of the RNLI, the ISA, the Irish Marine Federation, National Safety Council and the Garda Siochana, as well as several Government departments and State agencies.
The group will take into account the Marine Institute's work on safety policy in the marine leisure sector and the zoning initiatives undertaken by several coastal local authorities, as well as best practice internationally.
The Minister will address a conference on safe use of water leisure craft, particularly jetskis and power boats, hosted by the Marine Institute in Athlone on October 18th.
Some local authorities have already imposed by-laws to control use of fast water craft, with fines of up to £1,000.
