Mattie McGrath brands transport bill a 'whitewash' cover-up
Mattie McGrath criticised the Department of Transport's proposed marine investigation legislation, calling it a "whitewash" and a cover-up. He said the draft bill leaves the Marine Carriage Investigation Board without seagoing expertise and will not deliver proper investigations into maritime deaths.
Main criticism
McGrath told the minister the bill is "a half-baked, cobbled together attempt" by officials and accused departmental mandarins of keeping the situation under wraps. He said the legislation is a smoke screen and a cover-up rather than a meaningful reform.
Concerns about board expertise
He argued nobody on the Marine Carriage Investigation Board has seagoing experience and that the board could not carry out investigations at sea. McGrath contrasted the draft with international approaches, saying it does not follow the Swedish or British models he believes would be more effective.
Maritime tragedies cited
The deputy invoked recent and past losses at sea, including the Whit(y/ti) Island disaster and a Dungarvon incident in which he said two young men, O'Brien and young Esmond, died about 12 years ago. He referenced an "excellent documentary" on the Whit(y/ti) Island disaster on RT and said families have not seen proper investigations or justice.
Calls for accountability and recognition of contributors
McGrath said someone must take responsibility and that the public deserves a properly constructed, suitably qualified board to handle cases of loss of life. He saluted Michael Kingston and others who contributed input and noted he missed the Secretary's debate because he was indisposed; he also referenced last week's discussion on whistleblowers.
Implications for public trust
Throughout his remarks McGrath warned the bill's shortcomings strike at democratic accountability and public confidence in maritime safety oversight. He urged a stronger legislative response rather than what he described as an inadequate, cover-up response by officials.
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Minister Luke, I have great respect for you and I know you are a decent man but this is a whitewash of the highest order, it is a half-baked, cobbled together attempt by officials in the Department of Transport who want to keep this situation under wraps ever since the Whiti Island disaster and we had many many more and we had one in Dungarvon in which we lost two young men, O'Brien and young Esmond 12 years ago now and no investigation to think that the board has no seagorn experience, we have the Swedish model here, we have the British model here, why do we carry on with this appalling vista of ineptitude and cover up and not having a proper piece of legislation, I had great expectations from the Minister but obviously you are not in charge, it is the mandarins that are deciding because jobs for the vice was never better in Ireland than what it is now and it is shocking, nothing personal I said but we had an opportunity about this piece of legislation I am making an allegation yes that this piece is worthless. And it does not all But someone has to take a responsibility it is a smoke screen and it is a cover-up, I am elected to represent people and the families of the two young men who had lost their lives off however helmet head and there is no proper investigation, Nobody in the Marine Carriage Investigation Board could go out at the sea, no seagulling experience. It could only happen in Ireland, it wouldn't happen in any country in the world, it wouldn't happen in Ukraine or Russia. It's bad. We continue with this useless piece of legislation that won't deal with the problems, won't look at the model as the Swedish model. I want to salute Michael Kingston and others who have put such input into this. I'm sorry I missed the Secretary's debate because I was indisposed at the time. But this is so sad that people out there had hope and great expectations that there would be finally a piece of legislation. But no. We talked last week about whistleblowers that have been supported and everything else. This is shocking to the core and it goes to the very fabric of our democracy, that we have the democracy as such because this piece of legislation is not representing what the public deserves. That we have a properly constructed board that will deliver, that will be able and fit and be properly qualified, suitably qualified to deal with situations where loss of life, loss of life is an awful situation and we have had so much of it. And the documentary, excellent documentary recently on a Whitty Island disaster on RT and I criticise them often. But the loss of life, as I said, of those two young men have held a big head and no justice, no propaganda investigation and cover up on a smokescreen and it's an appalling vista and we should all hang our heads in shame, especially the department to continue this smokescreen and cover up. It's shocking. Thank you.
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