asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans the Government have for extending the existing fishery limits.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fishery Limits.
32.
The question of fishery limits is one of the matters which will be dealt with at the UN Law of the Sea Conference convened to meet in Santiago, Chile, in April/May 1974. Pending the result of the conference the Government do not have any plans at the moment to extend our existing fishery limits.
Would the Minister state whether the Government consider it wise to extend our existing fishery limits?
It is not a matter of what the Government consider wise, it is a matter of international arrangement. I do not know that it is a good principle for any nation, any more than for any individual, to take the law into its own hands. If the comity of nations is to be preserved and the rules of international law to be observed it is important that the question of fishery limits should be decided at a UN Conference and that is what will be done.
Am I to take it then, that it is not the intention of the Government to press for the extension of our fishery limits?
No, the Deputy should not take that at all. One of the matters which will be high on the agenda at this proposed conference in April/ May next year will be the question of the extension of fishery limits, including the limits of this country.
Question No. 33.
Would the Minister, in this connection, be prepared to give us any view or express the view of the Government on the dispute which is taking place between Iceland——
That is a separate matter altogether.
I am asking the Minister, in this context, if he is prepared to give the Government view on the dispute between Great Britain and Iceland.
The answer is in the negative.
Backing British imperialism again.
Would the Minister agree that the weaker the country is the more desirable it is to have larger limits?
That may be the case in some circumstances; in other situations it might not be the best position. It is a matter to be resolved by international agreement. If we have anything else we have a state of anarchy and chaos.