It has often been said that Irish people are Mediterraneans left out in the rain, but there's little similarity with some of our southern European cousins when it comes to common sense on water. For a small island, there is still a shocking lack of awareness about safety on small boats.
Coastal communities know and respect their environment - as do those who earn a living from it. Experienced water sport activists also nurture a responsible attitude. However, the same cannot be said for many people who migrate to sea, lake and river on holiday weekends such as this. Accidents involving pleasure craft have almost doubled since 1994 and in 1998, almost 200 people were drowned offshore and on inland waterways.
Two initiatives taken by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, are timely. The first is a public campaign, announced earlier this month, to try and reduce the accident toll. The campaign, co-ordinated by the Irish Coastguard, involves both State agencies and voluntary organisations. "Wearing a lifejacket, or taking other precautions, should be second nature," the Minister has said.
The second initiative is the Minister's decision to move on a report presented to him earlier this week. The Action Group on Small Powered Recreational Craft (including personal watercraft) has recommended that the wearing of life jackets or buoyancy aids should be compulsory for young people up to 16 years of age. Also, all pleasure craft must carry enough life jackets for everyone on board.
Significantly, the use of personal flotation devices will be compulsory for all users of jet skis or personal watercraft. Those under 16 will be banned from driving either jet skis or fast power craft altogether - with a derogation that 12 to 16 year olds do so only under supervision. Offences of "careless" and "dangerous" driving of jet skis and power boats are also to be introduced in national legislation.
Much of the new regime may take up to three years to put into effect, as the report acknowledges, but the Minister has indicated that some key measures may become enforceable this year. The action group was set up in the wake of a series of accidents last year involving small pleasure craft. That said, much of the focus of its attention is on the alarming increase in the use of, and accidents involving, jet skis and fast power boats - sales of which have doubled in the period between 1997 and 1999. The group recommends that compulsory competence testing be instituted as soon as possible for such craft.
The report makes one lasting point: legislation can always only be secondary to personal responsibility and judgment. In other words, people are ultimately responsible for their own lives.