asked the Minister for Defence the measures that exist to prevent the encroachment of foreign submarines in Irish coastal waters.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Encroachment of Foreign Submarines.
16.
Mr. Treacy
The Naval Service is responsible for the surveillance of Irish territorial waters. Vessels of the service are fitted with the appropriate equipment to enable them to perform this task.
If they were to detect a submarine, what would they do about it?
It is the accepted practice, in the event of a submarine being found in territorial waters, to use depth charges to force that vessel to surface.
Have any submarines been detected in our territorial waters in recent years?
I am not aware of any.
Are our vessels fully equipped to detect submarines?
I am not aware that they are not fully equipped.
I am aware that they are not.
Would the Deputy then consider that he is giving away State secrets, if he knows all those things?
I am informing the Minister that our vessels should be fully equipped and that it is the Minister's job to do it.
Is the Minister aware that the public are not happy about the accepted position here, to allow naval vessels from other countries to enter not alone our outer limits but our closer territorial waters without objection, and that this position is not acceptable? Have the Government any intention to impose certain limits against such intrusion?
The peace-time function of our Naval Service is to assist in patrolling the territorial seas. In regard to naval patrols, that would be the three-mile limit. For fishery protection that would be extended to 200 miles. It would be practically impossible to patrol the fishery limits, but within the limitations of what we have we are doing quite a good job.
The procedures in relation to the overflying by military aircraft are asgreed, established and known between the UK and our Government. Why is not a similar procedure applied in relation to naval vessels of the UK? Why is this not applied equally?
I do not have that information. I thought we were dealing with matters subterranean.
Surely the Minister is aware that there is a long established and clearly agreed procedure of prior notification by the UK Government when they intend to overfly the territory of the Irish Republic. That intention is notified well in advance and permission is granted by the Government. Why is that procedure not applied with similar force in relation to naval vessels in Irish territorial waters?
I am not aware of any encroachment in our territorial waters by naval vessels.
Is the Minister aware that the vessel in question transversed Irish territorial waters?
No.
Has the Minister investigated it?
It is being investigated.
Would the Minister agree that the extraordinary length of time to complete this investigation seems to show a tardiness on the part of the Government?
There is no tardiness on the part of our Government.
Would the Minister not regard it as extraordinary, since the Taoiseach ordered a special emergency top level investigation, that there is no information available to him or to the House?
We are speaking in a vacuum.
Is there any intention to fill the vacuum?