A persistent and widespread cockroach infestation, poor living conditions, and issues with crew entitlements are alleged to be among the problems discovered on a fishing vessel detained in West Cork.

A Ghanaian fisherman has claimed he was put into a survival suit and dumped into the ocean off the Irish coast because he was unable to work, writes Stephen Rogers of the Irish Examiner.

A Ghanaian fisherman has claimed he was put into a survival suit and dumped into the ocean off the Irish coast because he was unable to work.

With licences being secured and sought to mechanically harvest seaweed in Bantry Bay and parts of the west coast residents fear the damage may be irreparable, writes Louise Roseingrave.

Twenty-five staff at the National Maritime College (NMCI) in Cork are to be told their jobs are still on the line, though progress has been made in a course accreditation row with the Department of Transport.

The National Maritime College of Ireland has accused the Department of Transport of engaging “in a turf war” that could threaten the international reputation of the college and render invalid training courses already completed by 400 students.

Staff at the National Maritime College have implored Transport Minister Shane Ross to intervene in a row which could threaten jobs at the Cork-based facility.

Despite new regulations which came into effect two months ago, fishing boat owners are continuing to flaunt regulations around the employment of non-EU nationals, it has been claimed.

Changes to what it claims is “an out of date” and “anti-competitive” ferrying system to the Unesco world heritage site of Skellig Michael, off the coast of Kerry, have been announced by the Office of Public Works.

A number of passengers became violently ill on a small passenger boat which “rolled heavily” on a rough voyage to Skellig Michael, the Unesco World Heritage site, so much so that a complaint was lodged with the Department of Transport, a court in Kerry was told yesterday.

There is a sense of deja vu about all this.

Senior management at the Irish Coast Guard has slated parts of the first draft of a report into the service which Transport Minister Leo Varadkar is using to push through major reforms and cost-cutting rationalisation, with the likely closure of Valentia and Malin Head stations.

The State body tasked with checking the seaworthiness of vessels entering Irish ports has been accused of neglecting its duty to inspect a ship which docked in Limerick and which was alleged to be unsafe.

Marine Department inspectors will today carry out a safety audit on an Irish Ferries ship they grounded in Rosslare Harbour on Wednesday.