The EU is considering dropping action against Ireland for failure to enforce legislation on safety inspection of ships after the number of inspections of foreign ships entering Irish ports rose by 25 per cent in 2002.
The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Dermot Ahern said that Ireland had exceeded EU requirements in relation to carrying out safety checks.
The latest figures for foreign ship safety inspections reveal that 400 vessels were inspected last year - an inspection rate of 30 per cent, which is 5 per cent above that demanded by the EU.
And in the six weeks up to the middle of last month 50 inspections had been carried out, resulting in the detention of five ships.
The EU Directive on port state control is to eliminate substandard ships in community waters. The Directive agrees common criteria for inspecting ships which use a port of the Community.
The Minister said possible action by the EU against Ireland for failing to meet safety inspection rates in previous years may now be dropped because of the dramatic increase in inspection rates last year.