New rules for the regulation of adventure sports and centres were part of legislation introduced last night by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey. The legislation provides for the establishment of an Adventure Activities Standards Authority, which will develop codes of practice for specified activities.
Adventure centre operators will have to register with the authority and will have to abide by codes of practice. The authority can carry out inspections of these centres and will have the power to direct an operator to suspend or cease specified adventure activities.
Mr Fahey said the legislation, entitled the Adventure Activities Standards Authority Bill, allowed for the authority to investigate any accident or incident to establish its cause.
He paid tribute to the campaigning work of Mr Michael Davies whose son, Ros, was one of two young people who died in a canoeing accident at Dunmore East, Co Waterford. Mr Davies had campaigned to have "a statutory safety regime in place for adventure activities in the hope that other parents would not have to suffer such a tragic loss", Mr Fahey said.
"It is because of Mr Davies's dedication that this Bill is now before this House."
The legislation defines 13 activities but the list can be amended. The activities include hill walking and orienteering in areas more than 300 metres above sea level, caving, dinghy sailing, kayaking, canoeing, archery, rock climbing, abseiling, snorkelling, scuba-diving, wind-surfing and surfing with a surf board. The Bill covers commercial centres but not schools or educational establishments.
There was welcome for the legislation from the Opposition. However, Mr Alan Dukes, Fine Gael's marine and natural resources spokesman, asked why schools and voluntary operations should not be included.
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