The Department of the Marine says it is introducing a tough new policy on passenger boat safety.
It will relate to all boats used in areas around the coast for carrying passengers, including those used for tourist and visitor trips and for anglers.
In the strongest safety crackdown so far, there will be random spot-checks on boats, with a policy of active prosecution of offenders.
The Minister for the Marine, Dermot Ahern, launched this year's Water Safety Campaign in Dublin today.
The launch of the campaign comes just 24 hours before the Marine Casualty Investigation Board publishes the result of its investigation into the sinking of the vessel, Pisces, at Fethard-On-Sea on 28 July last year. Five people died in the incident.
RTÉ News understands that Mr Ahern and his officials have decided on a policy that will see Department safety inspectors carry out spot-checks on boat operators who carry passengers and who are involved in tourist, visitor and angling trips at various locations around the coast.
Under the new rules, some licences will require boat operators to ensure that passengers wear lifejackets and there will also be an active policy of prosecution of offenders.
The Irish Passenger Boat and Ferry Operators' Association has welcomed the new policy.
The Secretary of the Association, Raymond Ross, said that all officially licensed boats have been conforming to all safety regulations and there had never been a case where a properly licensed boat had been involved in a tragedy.
He said that the Minister should now continue to extend his policy and implement it on all leisure craft.
