European Communities (Merchant Shipping) (Compliance with Flag State Requirements) Regulations 2011.
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

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paragraphs: (1) These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Merchant Shipping) (Compliance with Flag State Requirements) Regulations 2011.
(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on 17 June 2011.
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paragraphs: (1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
(2) A word or expression used in these Regulations that is also used in the Directive has the same meaning in these Regulations that it has in the Directive.
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paragraphs: The competent authority in the State for the purposes of these Regulations and the Directive is the Marine Survey Office.
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paragraphs: (1) Before allowing a ship which has been granted the right to fly the Irish flag to operate, the Marine Survey Office shall ensure that—
(a) the ship complies with the applicable international rules and regulations,
(b) the safety records of the ship are verified by all reasonable means, and
(c) where applicable and if necessary, the former flag state is consulted in order to establish whether any outstanding deficiencies or safety issues identified by that state remain unresolved.
(2) Whenever another flag state requests information concerning a ship which was previously flying the Irish flag, the Marine Survey Office shall promptly provide details of outstanding deficiencies and any other relevant safety-related information to the requesting flag state.
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paragraphs: When the Marine Survey Office is informed that a ship has been detained by a port state, it shall, according to the procedures it has established to this effect, ensure that the ship is brought into compliance with the relevant IMO conventions.
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paragraphs: In respect of ships granted the right to fly the Irish flag, and for the purposes of these Regulations and the Directive, the Marine Survey Office shall ensure that, at a minimum, the following information is kept and is readily accessible in relation to each ship:
(a) particulars of the ship (name, IMO number, etc.);
(b) dates of surveys, including additional and supplementary surveys, if any, and audits;
(c) identification of the recognised organisations involved in the certification and classification of the ship;
(d) identification of the competent authority of the state that has inspected the ship under port state control provisions and the dates of the inspections;
(e) the outcome of any port state control inspections, including a record of any detentions of the ship by a port state or deficiencies found in relation to the ship;
(f) information on marine casualties;
(g) identification of any ships which have ceased to fly the flag of the State during the previous 12 months.
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paragraphs: The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport shall ensure that an IMO audit is carried out pursuant to Article 7 of the Directive.
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paragraphs: (1) The Marine Survey Office shall, by 17 June 2012, develop, implement and maintain a quality management system for the operational parts of the State’s flag state-related activities.
(2) The system developed under paragraph (1) shall be certified in accordance with the applicable international quality standards.
(3) If the State appears—
(a) on the black list, or
(b) for 2 consecutive years, on the grey list,
(4) The report under paragraph (3) shall identify and analyse the main reasons for the lack of compliance that led to the detentions and the deficiencies resulting in black or grey status.