New rules should apply to all boats

Vessels hired to bring people angling or fishing will need to have a licence under regulations already introduced.

In order to allow people time to meet the new requirements, these regulations are not due to come into force until June of next year.

No vessel will get a licence to carry people for hire without meeting stringent safety standards. Heavy fines and up to three months in prison can be imposed for violations.

There is no valid reason while these safety precautions should apply only to commercial vessels and not also to those being used for personal leisure, or for taking out friends. Yet these boats will remain unregulated, even though the Maritime Safety Directorate advises people to carry life jackets and other safety equipment at all times.

People in cars must wear seat belts, and it is not unreasonable to require that every child in a pleasure boat should be required to wear a life jacket, and that every adult should, at least, have ready access to one.

It would be a very small price to pay to avoid the kind of tragedy that occurred at the weekend off Fethard-on-Sea.