Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Apr 1971

Vol. 252 No. 12

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers (Resumed). - Boarding of Irish Ship.

9.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he has protested to the British Government about the menacing, stopping, boarding and searching by a British naval vessel of an Irish ship in Carlingford Lough on 27th March last; if so, if he will publish the terms of the protest and the reply received thereto; whether compensation has been demanded for the owners of the Irish vessel in respect of the loss caused by the hold-up of the vessel; and what action he will now take to bring this further action of the British authorities to the notice of international institutions for appropriate action.

10.

Dr. Byrne

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the recent boarding of the Owenro by a British naval vessel inside Irish territorial waters, he will take steps to ensure that an immediate undertaking is given that no further boardings will take place in Irish territorial waters.

11.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will now place a minesweeper on patrol in the north Irish Sea with a view to searching all vessels proceeding to a port in Northern Ireland to ensure that they are not carrying arms; and, if not, why.

12.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether any report was received from the British authorities about the possible presence of arms on board the vessel Owenro due to berth at Greenore on 27th March last; and whether any arrangement exists for reporting by or to either the British or Irish Governments vessels suspected of carrying arms illegally.

13.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, having regard to the incidence of forcible boarding of Irish vessels by units of the British Royal Navy in Irish territorial waters, he will state what action will now be taken to provide adequate protection for Irish vessels and to prevent any further warlike action by foreign navies in Irish waters.

14.

Dr. Byrne

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the statement issued by a spokesman for the British Navy that further boardings of Irish vessels would continue, he will consider the immediate deployment of one or more Irish naval vessels to protect Irish coastal waters in the Carlingford Lough area.

15.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will state the rights which the State has to detain, arrest, imprison and punish members of the armed forces of, and carrying out duties on behalf of, another country who bearing arms enter without leave upon the territory of, or a vessel belonging to, this country.

16.

Mr. Enright

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has lodged a formal protest with the British Government and demanded an apology following the boarding of the Greenore container vessel, Owenro, carrying and flying the Irish flag in Irish territorial waters off Carlingford Lough on Saturday last, 27th March; if so, what the result of this protest has been; if he has received any assurance that the boarding of Irish vessels in Irish territorial waters will be discontinued; and if he will make a general statement thereon.

Mr. B. Lenihan

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 16 together.

Appropriate steps have been taken to inform the British authorities of the Government's views in relation to the incident at Carlingford Lough on 27th March last. It is not proposed to disclose the steps being taken here or to be taken here in connection with the prevention of the illegal importation of arms.

Mr. Ryan

Does the Minister recall that in November when he was in a similar position and replying on behalf of the Minister for External Affairs he said that all that happened then was that some British instructions went wrong and that clumsiness took place? Does the Minister recall that he also indicated that he had reason to hope that a formula would be worked out between the Irish and the British Governments which would prevent a recurrence and would the Minister now state why it appears that instructions have apparently gone wrong again and that clumsiness has again taken place and that if a formula was worked out it has not been observed?

Mr. B. Lenihan

We have taken up the matter in the strongest possible manner with the British Government and it lies just there at present.

Dr. Byrne

The Minister asked your permission, Sir, to take Questions Nos. 9 to 16 together but he has completely ignored Question No. 14 in which I asked him—and will ask him again in the form of a supplementary—if he will consider the immediate deployment of one or more of the Irish naval vessels to the Carlingford Lough area where many of these boardings have taken place?

Mr. B. Lenihan

I do not think empty gestures of that kind——

Dr. FitzGerald

Empty gestures?

Mr. B. Lenihan

——would help in the very practical matter which we have to resolve in regard to the northern part of our country between ourselves and the British Government.

Mr. Ryan

Are we to understand that the Minister for Transport and Power on behalf of the Government now considers the three minesweepers and the Irish naval reserves are no more than empty gestures and that they are incapable of defending Irish vessels from being improperly boarded by British naval detachments? Is that what the Minister is now contending?

Mr. B. Lenihan

What the Deputy is now suggesting is just a repetition of what used to be known in the last century as gunboat diplomacy.

Mr. Ryan

I am suggesting resisting it and stopping the appalling gunboat diplomacy of the British Government in boarding vessels that are proceeding on inoffensive passage through international waters and through Irish territorial waters. I am asking the Government to stop that and the Minister says it is an empty gesture.

Mr. B. Lenihan

I do not think the Fine Gael Deputies opposite are keeping to the spirit of Deputy Cosgrave's motion which was passed unanimously by the Dáil on the 9th March in regard to the use of force as an instrument to secure the unity of Ireland.

Dr. FitzGerald

Whose side is the Minister on?

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Ryan

This is irresponsible.

Dr. Byrne

May I ask a further supplementary question on this? I think that in taking these questions together the Minister is being unfair. It is totally inadequate. In view of a statement by a British naval spokesman that further boardings will take place inside Irish territorial waters of boats which they wish to board would the Minister not consider that vessels which we have paid for to protect our coastal waters should be deployed to an area to which this statement refers? Has the Minister got available to him the name of the port of departure of that vessel? Did it come from a British port where the cargo could have been adequately checked and where some co-ordination could have taken place between the Customs officers there and the naval authorities?

Mr. B. Lenihan

It did. This whole matter is being discussed in an appropriate manner with the British authorities. It is a highly delicate and sensitive area. Everyone here is aware of the sensitivity of this whole matter concerning arms being imported to any part of this island. I would appeal genuinely to the House to tread warily about this particular matter.

Mr. Ryan

The Minister told us that six months ago.

Mr. B. Lenihan

We must be responsible about this very important matter.

Dr. Byrne

Will there be further boardings?

(Interruptions.)

Mr. B. Lenihan

There has been no change.