asked the Minister for External Affairs whether he has obtained a copy of the judgment of the International Court of Justice at The Hague in the dispute between Norway and Great Britain concerning the measurement and demarcation of territorial fishing limits; and, if so, whether he will make a copy of this judgment available to Deputies by having a copy of it placed in the Oireachtas Library.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Territorial Fishing Limits.
A complimentary copy of the judgment of the court in the fisheries case has kindly been made available to the Irish Government by the court secretariat. This has just come to hand, and is the subject of intensive study in my Department. I have had further copies ordered, and when they become available I shall have one placed in the Library.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to reports that the Government of Iceland have given notice of their decision to apply the recent decision of the International Court of Justice at The Hague concerning the definition, measurements and demarcation of territorial waters; and, if so, whether he will obtain and make available to the House the full text of the Icelandic Government's announcement and decision in this matter.
The Icelandic Legation has very courteously presented to the Irish Government copies of an English translation of the recent decree made by the Icelandic Government "concerning conservation of fisheries off the Icelandic coasts". These copies have just come to hand, and I am having one of them placed in the Library.
Has the Minister's attention been drawn to the steps taken by the Icelandic Government and to the exchange of Notes which has taken place between the Icelandic Government and the British Government in regard to this particular question, and would he not consider it advisable that the Irish Government should adopt the same attitude as the Icelandic Government and lend it its full support?
I am aware that this matter was started by the Icelandic Government in April, 1948, and the matter is now being reviewed and studied.
Does the Minister hope to be able to make a statement to the House in the near future on the question?
I cannot say.
I am sorry. I do not want to make the position awkward for the Minister, but does not the Minister agree that it is a matter of some urgency and upon which the House is entitled to information as soon as possible? I have already asked a number of questions dealing with this particular problem.
The Deputy is not making it the slightest bit awkward. It is a very difficult question. The Deputy is aware that the Icelandic decree arose out of the Presidential statement of April 5th, 1948. If it had not been a very complicated matter, I take it, it would have been dealt with long before this date. It would have been dealt with on April 6th, 1948.
But the Minister knows the decision of the International Court was only given about three months ago and that on a number of occasions I have asked the Minister for information in regard to that decision. May I ask the Minister whether he would not consider it advisable that we should here adopt the same attitude as the Icelandic Government as rapidly as possible so as to lend support to Iceland and to have the same decision applied to our territorial waters?
That question does not arise because it is completely separate and distinct. The Deputy asked for documents and, as I have told him, we have had great difficulty in getting these, but we have got some of them, and they are being placed in the Library.
Is it not peculiar that Iceland acted on the decision of The Hague Court of Justice and we could not get the decision of the court?
We are aware that Iceland started this matter on April 5th, 1948. Deputy O'Donnell was here since 1948 and only now is he getting excited about it.
Deputy O'Donnell asked this question at least four times.
He should have asked it of the previous Minister.