Deputies Faulkner and Kirk have been given permission to put a question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will Deputy Faulkner please read the question?
Private Notice Question. - Carlingford Lough Incident.
I would have assumed that as the question is one of such fundamental importance it would have been taken by the Taoiseach. We had put the question down to the Taoiseach. Our question asks the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that Irish yachtsmen were held up by the British navy in Carlingford Lough on Sunday last; that the helm of one boat was taken over by force by British armed marines and the boat was damaged; that the owner was subjected to harassment and taken to a British patrol boat where he was detained for two hours and 30 minutes; that he was shown a chart purporting to indicate an agreement by the Irish and British Governments on jurisdiction over the waters of Carlingford Lough; and if he will state what action he proposes to take with a view to preventing further incursions of this kind and protecting Irish territorial sovereignity whether on land or on sea.
I am aware of the incident referred to by the Deputies in their question and of the details involved. Two of the yachtsmen concerned called to my Department yesterday and provided a full and detailed account of all that had taken place.
Prior to that on the basis of a report furnished by the Garda, my Department had raised the matter with the British authorities. Specifically my Department expressed the Government's serious concern over the incident and delivered a protest to the British authorities: (i) against the boarding of the yacht and (ii) against the false assertion by the British navy captain concerned that there is an agreement between the British and Irish Governments relating to the delimitation of their respective jurisdictions in the lough.
There is, of course, no such agreement between the Irish and British Governments. Nor can there be any map detailing such an agreement as it does not exist.
We object to the action taken by the British security forces but we are in this instance dealing with an area that is in dispute between our two Governments. Pending the resolution of this dispute we are seeking to urge on the British authorities, whose security concerns we appreciate, the need to exercise restraint having regard to the sensitivities of the local community.
With regard to the final part of the Deputies' question, as I have said we have already protested to the British authorities about this matter. I also intend to take the matter up personally with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, when I next meet him.
Is the Minister aware that on the map produced by the commanding officer of the British naval patrol vessel, the Vigilant, a claim is made by the British to the rock on which the Hauwerline lighthouse, otherwise known as the Greenore lighthouse, stands and that if such a claim was conceded no Irish vessel could enter Carlingford Lough without first getting permission to do so from the British authorities?
As I stated in the course of my original reply, the map produced has no official status and certainly is not a map which has been agreed between the Irish and British authorities.
Is the Minister further aware that British naval patrol vessels do not operate within the limits which they claim and that there is constant interference with shipping in the whole area? What action does the Minister propose to take in relation to that matter?
I am aware of some incidents last year and on each occasion they were taken up and a protest lodged with the British authorities about them. If the Deputy, or anybody in that area, has any further complaints in this regard they should (a) give them to the Garda authorities or (b) directly to my Department and I will see that they are raised with the British authorities.
It is quite obvious that the British authorities are not taking much notice of the protests that are being made to them because this problem is continuing. Does the Minister not agree that all the waters of Carlingford Lough are Irish waters and that Irish vessels are fully entitled to use those waters without let or hindrance?
That is what I said in my reply. A further point I should like to make is that the evidence is quite the reverse. Since I started protesting about this, incidents have decreased, not increased.
In view of this latest incident, which is by no means an isolated one, will the Minister state what protection he proposes to give to Irish ships, yachts and boats in Carlingford Lough so that they can freely go about their lawful business?
It is not true to say that incidents such as this are on the increase; they are on the decrease. If the Deputy can bring to my attention any incidents which I have not protested about I will gladly do so. I must have details of time and place where these incidents occurred before I protest and that is quite obvious.
Is the Minister aware that when the captain of the yacht involved tried to contact the harbour master in Dundalk the British patrol vessel endeavoured to jam the transmission?
I am not so aware. I did not know that that had taken place. That may be a defect in my knowledge. It may have taken place but it is just that I am not aware of it.
Is the Minister aware that the British claim that the map which Deputy Faulkner referred to was an authentic copy of the agreement between the British and Irish Governments in relation to boundaries in Carlingford Lough?
That is repetition.
I am aware that the allegation was made but, as I said in my reply, no such agreement exists. Therefore, a map could not authenticate such.
Will the Minister, as a matter of urgency, ask the Minister for Defence to have a corvette placed permanently in Carlingford Lough? In the course of his reply the Minister said he would be making representations ——
Not "would be" but had.
Will the Minister accept that representations to the British Government, and the Northern Ireland Office, have been totally ignored and that there have been a number of incursions in recent weeks including one at Tyholland at the same time the Taoiseach was making a statement following the Robinson case in Belfast about an incursion at Castleblayney? What does the Minister intend doing to ensure he gets a positive response to his representations?
I have answered all the points raised in the Deputy's supplementary. However, I should like to tell the House that the number of incursions last year was down on the average over the last ten years, quite considerably. However, I should also like to state that even one incursion is one too many. The Government keep this under review at all times and are very concerned about such incursions. Immediately we hear about them — we do not wait for a Dáil question or anything like that — we raise them with the British authorities. In this case it was done early yesterday morning.
The British authorities have not done anything.
In fact, our representations are having an effect because the number last year was down very considerably over 1982.
I was referring to the current year.
Will the Government put a patrol vessel into Carlingford Lough to assert our claim to the country's territorial waters there?
The Government keep all matters in relation to this constantly under review and take whatever action, having protested to the British authorities about these incursions, that they think appropriate to drive home that point.
In view of the fact that the protests made to date have been ineffective does the Minister not think it is time to take stern action in relation to this and the difficulties that have existed in Carlingford Lough for some time with cargo ships being interfered with regularly on their way to Greenore port? At one stage the British troops entered Greenore port. Will the Minister not agree that it is time to put a patrol vessel into Carlingford Lough?
This is repetition.
I have answered that question which was put by about three Deputies. I do not mind repeating that even one incursion is one too many and we will continue to protest about them.