asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the oil exploration, if any, presently taking place or planned by British interests in the disputed Rockall area, if Government agreement has been given and, if so, if he will outline the terms of this agreement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rockall Oil Exploration.
10.
The Deputy may be referring to a recent newspaper article to the effect that a British drillship had moved into the Rockall area. The activity referred to is taking place over 100 miles north west of the Outer Hebrides and is outside an area over which Ireland claims jurisdiction.
I am aware also that in a small counter-designated area off the Irish north west coast certain seismic work is planned by a British company—the British National Oil Corporation—in the coming months. Since this area comes within an Irish designated area, licences from the Minister for Energy would be required before such work is undertaken and I understand that the company have been so informed by the Department of Energy. The granting of a licence and its terms will be a matter for consideration by that Department when an application is received and the terms of any such licence would, I understand, be in accord with the normal provisions of non-exclusive licences which carry fixed rental fees and the stipulation that all information granted would be submitted to the Minister for Energy.
Arising out of the Minister's reply——
Deputy Deasy is first. It is his question.
May I take it from the Minister's reply that the British company are actually carrying out seismic tests in our territorial waters?
No, that is not so. Would the Deputy listen to the reply?
I am referring to the second part of it.
I am aware also that in a small counter-designated area off the Irish north west coast certain seismic work is planned by a British company and they will have to apply to the Department of Energy for a licence to proceed with the actual work. It is in the planning stage as far as a certain British company is concerned, and no more than that.
Has the Minister been consulted by the British Government?
It is the Department of Energy which the British company concerned are obliged to apply.
May I further ask the Minister, has the area in dispute be defined?
That appears to be a separate question.
That is another question, I believe.
Could the Minister for Foreign Affairs indicate if he is aware if the British National Oil Corporation have acknowledged the letter to which he refers or, indeed, if they have, in fact, made a formal application to the Department of Energy for the licence?
They have not as yet. They will have to.
When were they informed?
That is their business.
When did the Department of Energy inform the BNOC?
We have received no application from them. They have done no physical work on the ground and no application has been received in the Department of Energy. That is the position.
Through the Chair, perhaps the Minister did not hear my question.
The Minister should listen to the question.
When were the BNOC informed by the Department that a licence application would be required of them?
They were not informed. The BNOC know well that they must apply to our Department of Energy for this particular area and it is their business.
Are we incorrect in our assumption of the Minister's reply? That they were notified that they should apply is what I have understood.
That is what I understood also.
Would the Deputy listen to me?
Yes.
Shall I repeat the whole paragraph?
I am aware also that in a small counter-designated area off the Irish north west coast certain seismic work is planned by a British company—the British National Oil Corporation—in the coming months. Since this area, comes within an Irish designated area, licences from the Minister for Energy would be required before such work is undertaken and I understand that the company have been so informed by the Department of Energy.
That is exactly what we heard. Could we know when they were informed?
Wait now, wait now.
The granting of a licence and its terms will be a matter for consideration by that Department when an application is received and the terms of any such licence would, I understand, be in accord with the normal provisions of non-exclusive licences which carry rental fees and the stipulation that all information granted would be submitted to the Minister for Energy.
The Minister has been twice asked when they were informed and he told us twice that they have not been so informed, contradicting himself. Could he now answer the question?
They have not been informed formally. There is nothing on the file.
When?
There is nothing on the file on this matter. All that is involved is that this proposal has come to the notice of the Department of Energy in the course of verbal exchanges by telephone.
When?
I have no information as to when. A formal letter is awaited.
The Minister should know.
There is no formal letter on the file. No file has been opened on this matter. Informal exchanges have taken place by telephone. It is understood by the Department of Energy that proposals are being prepared by the British company and an application is awaited from the British company. When that application is received, it will be fully considered and the terms negotiated between the Department of Energy and the company concerned. Is that clear enough?
Yes.
A final supplementary, Deputy Quinn.
If it comes within the brief of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and if he does not have the information, could he get it for the records of this House, and formally provide me, as an Opposition Deputy, with the date on which the British organisation to whom he has referred and who his official reply has already indicated were told, notified, informed—informally or otherwise—that they were proposing and planning to operate in Irish national waters and that, consequently, an application would be required? Either they were informed or they were not informed. Whether it was informal or not somebody must have a record of it and I am asking simply for that date, nothing more.
This is really an intolerable situation. There is much ado about nothing involved here.
I will be the decider of that.
All that is involved is that, on an informal basis between officials of the company and the Department of Energy, exchanges have taken place on the telephone. The written application, which will form the basis of the file and on which decisions will be taken, has not been received from the company concerned.
Yesterday was Bloomsday. Let us use precise language here. The official reply states that the company were notified informally. Now we are being told that they were informally formally notified. Either they were or were not.
I will find out the date for the Deputy.
The Minister is straining credulity here in implying that the Department are taking no note of these telephone calls. We are entitled to the information as to when this exchange took place. The Minister should stop evading the question.
Of course I will get that information for the Deputy.
We are entitled to be told what action will be taken if no application is received and if the seismic tests are proceeded with.
The appropriate action.
What is that?
The appropriate action will be taken at that stage.
We have already had the use of the word "appropriate" from the Taoiseach today. What is the Minister's definition of the word "appropriate"?
We cannot spend all day on one question. Question No. 11, please.