Oireachtas committee hears evidence on MSO safety failures linked to the Eurocutter stability certification and wider fishing vessel safety concerns
Mary Kate Case Returns To Oireachtas Scrutiny
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs will hear evidence tomorrow, Tuesday 27 January, on safety failures linked to the Eurocutter beam trawler ‘Mary Kate’ WD 30 and her sisterships.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 11:00 and will focus on fishing vessel safety, stability certification, and regulatory oversight.
Former vessel owner Chris (CJ) Gaffney will appear before the committee as petitioner. He will be accompanied by Mary Bertelsen, acting as supporter and advisor, alongside naval architects Justin Delaney and Jakob Pinkster, whose technical work underpins the safety concerns being raised.
Stability Certification And Safety Oversight Central
Evidence presented to the committee is expected to centre on the accuracy and reliability of Stability Books issued for fishing vessels, and whether failures in survey and certification processes have undermined safety protections for those working at sea.
According to submissions linked to the hearing, concerns extend beyond the ‘Mary Kate’ itself. Delaney and Pinkster have carried out detailed research into beam trawler stability and have identified other vessels with characteristics similar to those identified on the ‘Mary Kate’, raising questions about whether inaccurate stability certification may be more widespread.
The case is being framed as a marine safety issue with potential national and European implications, rather than an isolated vessel dispute.
Calls For Recognition And Wider EU Action
Gaffney and his supporters are seeking formal recognition and compensation without cost to the Irish taxpayer. Of equal importance, they are calling for an impartial investigation involving three EU countries into the ‘Mary Kate’ and two other fishing vessels referenced in the evidence.
The submission argues that marine safety must remain a priority at national, EU and international level, with robust certification systems, enforcement of international safety rules, and meaningful penalties where those rules are not followed. It questions what level of protection remains for those working in the fishing industry if inaccurate Stability Books can be issued and relied upon.
Gaffney states that the involvement of two senior naval architects, and the depth of their research, demonstrates that the issues raised are technical, evidence-based, and not speculative.
Dutch Registry Case Raises Further Concerns
The evidence also points to a case involving a sister vessel on the Dutch registry. Gaffney states that Dutch authorities were alerted in 2024 following research by Pinkster and Delaney, and that the vessel was later confirmed to have the same stability failures.
However, he claims that Dutch authorities have since refused to share details of their investigation, a position he argues undermines transparency and raises concerns about how similar safety issues are handled across EU member states.
Departments and MSO Officials To Appear
From 12:20, the committee will hear from senior officials, including Sinéad McSherry, Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, alongside Eimer Coughlan, Principal Officer, and Therese O’Keeffe, Assistant Principal Officer.
The Department of Transport will be represented by Noelle Waldron, Head of the Maritime Safety Policy Division, as well as Marine Survey Office officials Ean Wallace, Deputy Chief Surveyor, and Jason Bryars, Ship Surveyor.
Their responses will be closely scrutinised by the fishing industry, particularly on questions of survey practice, certification accuracy, and whether current systems adequately protect vessel safety.
Committee Cathaoirleach Welcomes Engaging Opportunity
Ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Conor McGuinness said: “The Mary Kate was a German-registered trawler which was purchased by the Gaffney family of Arklow, Co Wicklow in 2007 and then registered in Ireland. The vessel was later found to be unstable and unsafe, and following testing in 2009, was found to be 15-20 tonnes heavier than recorded in the German registration and this dangerously compromised its stability.
“The Gaffneys then found themselves in the position where an insurance payout was refused due to this discrepancy, they were time-barred from taking legal action against the sellers and the German registration authority, and were also unable to avail of an Irish decommissioning scheme where owners were paid by the State to scrap their vessel.
“The Gaffneys later paid to lengthen the vessel, which remedied the stability fault, and Irish authorities re-certified the Mary Kate as safe to operate. However, they were unable to return to fish due to delays in increasing the vessel’s capacity tonnage and decided to sell. A buyer was found in the UK but authorities there refused registration due to the vessel’s previous issues. By 2012 the Gaffney family were left with significant losses and debt arising from this saga.
“The case of the Mary Kate WD30 raises serious issues with implications for the wider public policy and public interest around the registration and safety of fishing vessels in Ireland and the EU. The Committee welcomes this opportunity to engage with Mr C J Gaffney and his family, and with officials from the two departments with responsibilities in this area, Transport and Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to discuss fishing vessel safety issues and related matters.”
Irish Fishing News Patrons 2026
