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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Nov 1988

Vol. 383 No. 8

Continental Shelf Agreement: Announcement.

I wish to announce, for the information of the House, that I signed an agreement yesterday which delimits the continental shelf between Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Ireland and Britain are situated on a common continental shelf which had been the subject of overlapping claims by both parties. The line of delimitation, which was agreed by negotiation, is based on the applicable international law. The negotiations have produced an equitable solution to the division of the continental shelf between the two countries in the Irish Sea, south and south-west areas, as well as in the north-west area off the Donegal coast.

The agreement will remove the need to submit the matter to independent arbitration.

Copies of the agreement have been placed in the Library. I propose next week that a formal motion approving the agreement be taken by Dáil Éireann. I understand the Government Chief Whip will discuss with the Whips of other parties the details of how this matter will be debated next week.

Would the Tanáiste confirm that Rockall is situated to the north and east of point 132 on the map annexed to the agreement and that, therefore, the Irish claim to Rockall — other than the immediate surrounds of the island — have been abandoned?

The matter must not give rise to a debate now. There will be a debate on this matter next week.

I thought I had made quite plain yesterday that the question of Rockall and of Northern Ireland and the immediate water abutting to those two areas were outside the scope of this agreement.

How can they be outside the scope of this agreement in view of the fact that if it ultimately transpired that Ireland was entitled to Rockall, the median line between Britain and Ireland would then be a line roughly midway between the island of Rockall and the Scottish coast?

The Deputy surprises me. Does he not appreciate English? This has got to do with the division of the seabed resources and is separate altogether from the jurisdictional aspects in regard to Rockall and in regard to Northern Ireland. They are matters for subsequent political discussion or otherwise. What we wished to do in this agreement was to get the maximum agreement in an area of the continental shelf that carried no contention and that strengthens Ireland's position vis-à-vis all other parties throughout the world that may have claims, as well as Britain, in regard to these substantial waters. The Deputy really does not appreciate the enormous benefits that accrue as a result of this agreement.

The Tánaiste's reply confirm my worst fears.

The Tánaiste has indicated that copies of the agreement are being placed in the Library and that a debate will ensure, possibly next week.

I have a copy and it is a very serious matter.

I am not going to allow a debate now. I have allowed a relevant question but there can be no debate now. I will allow a relevant question from Deputies John Bruton and Quinn.

The Deputy is talking utter nonsence, as was his shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, despite the confidence I had posed in her.

Will the Tánaiste ensure that the format of the debate which he proposes next week will be one in which detailed questions could be asked and answered, that we should not have a series of monologues from speakers but rather a genuine dialogue when the difficulties such as may or may not have been indicated in Deputy O'Malley's question can be resolved once and for all in a committee-type discussion? Could the Tánaiste assure me that the orders governing that debate would be such as to allow multiple interventions for that purpose?

I can assure the Deputy that the Whips will discuss the format of the debate. I will be as open as possible on the successful outcome of negotiations — initiated by the last Government — and which we have brought to a successful conclusion. We will have a sensible debate in which I will co-operate to the maximum along the lines suggested by Deputy Bruton. First let us have the Whips work out the format of the debate.

I agree, that is the best way to discuss it.

In the spirit of the Tánaiste's reply, would he say whether he would provide for a briefing by officials from his Department of spokespersons from the nominated parties so that we could have a pertinent debate in whatever format the Whips might ultimately decide? If he is agreeable to such proposal vis-à-vis a technical briefing — because there are technical matters involved — would he arrange that that briefing take place before the formal debate to be decided?

I will make full arrangement along the lines suggested by Deputy Quinn. I want the fullest information made available to the Deputies who are interested in and who wish to participate in the debate next week because it is a matter of tremendous national advance. I should like to have the full details made available — all the papers made available — and what Deputy Quinn suggests will be done.

Would the Tánaiste consider including in the debate also the line of demarcation in the Irish Sea, in particular the line of demarcation in Carlingford Lough?

The Deputy may not have been here when I answered the question initially.

This agreement, for very obvious reasons — because of the contention and conflict involved — does not take into account the coastline of Northern Ireland from Carlingford Lough over to Malin Head, so that is not involved in this at all. Neither does the rock of Rockall come into this matter. It has been excluded. Any jurisdictional aspect of the claim to it is excluded from this agreement. As long as people focus on that as the preliminery starting point we can have a constructive debate on the remainder of the matter. But those two areas are excluded from the scope of this agreement.

To try and clear this up because this is really the important aspect may we take it that this new line in the northern sector has been drawn without attributing any status to Rockall as generating a claim because of its position; in other words, the line has been drawn as though Rockall itself did not exist?

That is precisely correct. The line has been drawn and is there irrespective of the existence of Rockall. It has nothing to do with whether or not the rock is there.

Do not rock the rock.

In other words, to put it very plainly, the existence of the rock does not generate any further seabed for Britain at all, or for anybody else.

It has no territorial status.

On which side of the line is the rock now?

I am calling the Order of Business. These matters can be gone into in greater detail when we come to debate the issue.

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