asked the Minister for External Affairs if this country has accepted an invitation to attend a meeting concerned with fishery matters, including the extension of territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fishery Conference.
45.
As I stated in reply to a Parliamentary Question on the 7th May, this year an invitation was received from the British Government to a conference to discuss fishing rights, access to markets, rights of establishment and policing. The Government have accepted this invitation and propose to be represented at the conference which, it is understood, will be held in London at the beginning of December. I have nothing further to say about this matter at this stage.
This conference will deal with territorial waters?
Yes. It will be one of the matters on the agenda of the conference.
In that connection, have we any definite decision as to the extent to which we would seek an expansion of territorial waters?
As the Deputy knows, we seek in these matters to proceed by way of international agreement.Even a limited agreement would be acceptable from our point of view and our objective will be to endeavour to secure that some agreement will be made because, as I explained previously, it is a difficult matter for a small country like ourselves to act unilaterally in this regard.
Will we be represented at ministerial level at this conference?
I cannot answer that question offhand. We will be represented at the same level as every other country.