Rathlin and the European Small Islands Network (ESIN)

The European Small Islands Network (ESIN) was set up in 2001 by island organisations in France, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. ESIN works to raise awareness of the challenges experienced by Europe's smallest inhabited islands and to promote inter-island co-operation on the subject of sustainable island development. Many of these small remote communities, with populations in their tens and hundreds, are threatened with extinction and are struggling to build a future for the next generation of Island Children.

ESIN's Inter Island Exchange Project has been funded by the INTERREG 111C programme. The three year project began in July 2004 after the initial groundwork had been completed by ESIN's six island member organisations. The objectives of this operation are to promote greater cooperation between small islands in Europe, to share the benefits of islands experience of sustainable development and to influence national, EU regional development policies in favour of small island communities.

Where does Rathlin fit in this network? It's one of the 31 member Irish Islands Federation, a body funded by the Irish Government's Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. It isn't represented on IIF's board.

Scotland has five councils or other bodies represented on ESIN, the Republic of Ireland two and Northern Ireland none If Argyll and Bute and North Ayrshire can be members of this organisation why isn't Moyle District Council representing Rathlin Island?

Were any Northern Ireland MEPs invited by ESIN to their Brussels Briefing Day in June 2007 or to any subsequent events?

Ballycastle-Rathlin Ferry and the House of Lords

Written answers

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

What are written answers?

House of Lords

Shipping: Ferry Operators

Lord Laird (Crossbench) | Hansard source

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Maritime and Coastguard Agency this year censured the ferry operator between Ballycastle and Rathlin Island in County Antrim for carrying a fuel tanker along with passengers on the route; and, if so, what form the censure took.

Lord Adonis (Minister of State, Department for Transport; Labour) | Hansard source

On 24 October 2008 marine surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency issued a formal improvement notice to the MV CANNA requiring the training of its crew in the carriage of dangerous goods and observance of its document of compliance.

I'm told that the transportation of combustion engined vehicles alongside dangerous goods was the breach within the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) code on this occasion, since operators are allowed to carry a restricted number of passengers with such goods. However, the number permitted will vary from operator to operator, since the restriction is company and not vessel specific.

Lord Laird (Crossbench)

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the passenger-carrying boat, the Irish-registered MV True Light, has been awarded a licence by the maritime authorities in the United Kingdom; if not, whether it was refused; if so, when; and for what reason.

Lord Adonis (Minister of State, Department for Transport; Labour)

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has never awarded an operating certificate to the Irish-registered MV "True Light".

When the MV "True Light" applied for a certificate in May 2008 the inspection and certification process by the MCA was stopped when it became clear that the Irish authorities were not prepared to issue an Irish operating certificate for the ship.

The Irish-registered ship requires dual certification to operate in UK territorial waters.

Islands of the Welcomes - from Rathlin to Cape Clear

Islands of the Welcomes - from Rathlin to Cape Clear

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