The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources says it intends to investigate an apparent breach of water safety legislation following an event on the Royal Canal in Dublin this week that was photographed for The Irish Times.
A number of children photographed on vessels on the canal were not wearing lifejackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs), which is required under legislation.
The event was held on Thursday to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of Ireland's greatest scientists, William Rowan Hamilton, and was presided over by Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Noel Treacy.
None of the people in the photograph, including Mr Treacy, Labour TD Joe Costello and Independent TD Tony Gregory, was wearing a PFD or lifejacket, but the lifejacket/PFD ruling only applies in this case to children under 16. All adults must wear such safety gear on pleasure craft of under 7m in length, but the department says the vessels in question were all over 7m.
Under the Merchant Shipping (Pleasure Craft) (Lifejackets and Operation) (Safety) Regulations, 2004, the master or owner of the pleasure craft must take all reasonable steps to ensure that anyone under 16 wears a PFD. The legislation provides for fines on breaches, the department said.
Irish Water Safety also condemned the failure to wear lifejackets or PFDs on the vessels.
