asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will inform foreign ambassadors that our naval base is Cobh Harbour so that calls by foreign fleets and warships will be made in future to Cobh Harbour instead of to Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Visits of Foreign Fleets.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if, in view of the fact that Haulbowline, Cobh Harbour, is the headquarters base of the Irish Navy, he will state why foreign warships visiting the Republic call to Dublin instead of Cobh.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will extend an invitation to the naval officer in charge of the ships of the American fleet which are to visit Dublin on the 9th July to visit Cobh Harbour which is and has been the chief naval base in this country and where a unit of the American fleet was stationed during the First World War.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 20 and 21 together.
Some months ago, when the training cruise of the vessels referred to was being planned, the United States Government, through its embassy here, sought and was granted permission for these vessels to pay an informal call to the Port of Dublin. This is the normal international practice and I do not propose to depart from it.
I may add that, in the past 12 months, as many visits of foreign naval craft have been paid to Cork Harbour as to Dublin.