The Department of the Marine is coming under increasing pressure to withdraw its report into the Irish/French fishing vessel collision which claimed two south-east fishermen's lives. This follows a meeting between officials and the Minister of State, Mr Hugh Byrne.
Mr Byrne, who has publicly differed with his senior Minister, Dr Woods, on the report's conclusion, said yesterday that the concerns of the bereaved families must be met. He has set up a meeting between the men's relatives and his officials, which has been scheduled for next week.
Mr Gerard Doran, father of Bobby Doran, one of the men lost in 1992, told The Irish Times he would be seeking a withdrawal of the report. "I won't be satisfied with a private agreement, as this is a public document."
Ms Tracey Power, wife of skipper Jimmy Power who also died, said she was happy that a meeting had been arranged.
The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources' report into the collision between the Irish vessel, Orchidee, and a French vessel, Agena, off the Welsh coast in September 1992, found both vessels to be in breach of international regulations for prevention of collisions at sea.
Mr Doran has taken issue with the report's main finding. He said it was at variance with the verdict of a French court which identified the French vessel as at fault. Suspended sentences were imposed by the Lorient court on two French crewmen.
Mr Doran has questioned other aspects of the report, including the assertion that the collision was head-on and that the crew was wearing life jackets. He has also taken issue over the fact that there is only one investigator's name on the report when it was completed by a colleague after that investigator left the Department.
