asked the Minister for External Affairs the present position with regard to the extension of Irish territorial waters for the protection of fishery grounds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Territorial Waters.
8.
The Deputy is of course aware that the Government's preference in the matter of extending fishery limits is to get general international agreement on the subject. Unfortunately, there seems to be little hope of getting world-wide agreement in the years immediately ahead. We have been driven since the failure of the 1960 Geneva Conference to agree on an extension of the limits, to seek agreement between a limited group of countries. To this end, we have been consulting and are still in consultation with a number of countries but so far without success.
Do I take it that the Minister is having discussions with these countries, with a view to having an agreement independent of an international agreement?
With a view to having a regional agreement.
Could the Minister indicate the countries concerned?
A number of European countries.
Would the Minister like to say what countries they are?
I do not think it would be wise to do so yet.
Were there discussions recently?
There are almost continuous consultations in the matter.