asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government intend to delineate a zone or zones around our coast and in our air-space into or through which foreign military sea or aircraft are forbidden to enter.
Written Answers. - Coastal and Air-space Zones.
96.
Under the terms of the Chicago Convention, to which Ireland is a party, every State has sovereignty over the air-space above its territory, including that above its territorial waters and military aircraft of another State may not fly over it without authorisation. At sea, however, freedom of navigation remains the paramount principle and within territorial waters this freedom is protected by the right of innocent passage which is enjoyed by all vessels including warships. A vessel forfeits it only if it acts in a manner prejudicial to the peace, good order and security of the coastal state. The Government does not propose to seek any alteration in these provisions of international law nor see any need to do so.
97.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of occasions in the past five years when the Government has protested against the violation of our territorial waters or air-space by foreign military craft; and the countries involved.
The Government have not had occassion during the period in question to protest at any violation of Irish territorial waters by foreign naval vessels.
It has been found necessary on a number of occassions to draw attention to incursions by foreign military aircraft into Irish airspace. There were 158 such occasions in the years 1977 to 1981, all involving British aircraft.