Vol. 410 No. 1
11 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline the action his Department is taking to apprehend and prosecute the skipper(s) of the Spanish boat(s) involved in the ramming of an Irish vessel, 80 miles off the Cork coast on 30-31 March 1991.
(Limerick West): I have recently pointed out to this House that, at present, in cases of collisions involving an Irish and a foreign vessel outside territorial waters the appropriate form of redress is by way of a civil action. As I understand that this avenue is at present being pursued by the Irish vessel owner and insurers in the incident involving a Spanish trawler which occurred on 31 March last off the south-west coast, I do not propose to prejudice the outcome by further comment at this stage.
Is the Minister aware that this was not a collision but a ramming incident where a Spanish boat or boats — I think two boats were involved — deliberately tried to sink an Irish trawler? It was only by the power of God that no one was killed; it is possible that there might not have been any survivors. Has the Minister for the Marine or the Minister for Foreign Affairs taken up this case with the Spanish Ambassador or raised it at the Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels? These incidents are commonplace — this was a particularly serious incident — and they continue to occur. Have official approaches been made to the Spanish Government at ambassadorial level or at the Council of Fishery Ministers meeting in Brussels regarding this criminal act?
Let us have regard to the sub judice aspect of this matter.
Let us have regard to the facts of the matter.
(Limerick West): All relevant inquiries and contacts are being made, as necessary.
This matter is being poohpoohed again.
