Vol. 400 No. 2
69 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for the Marine if protests were made by the Government to the EC Fisheries Commissioner or any other EC Commissioner relating to the recent acts of piracy by Spanish and French fishing vessels on the Irish fishing fleet in the fishing grounds off the western seaboard; and the replies which were obtained from the relevant EC authorities to such protests.
I have explained in detail to the House on a number of previous occasions the steps including the contacts I have made with my Europen counterparts to deal with recent incidents off the south coast. The European Commission, while it has no direct role in this matter, has been alerted to these developments.
Incidents between fishermen of different member states are not uncommon and the handling of these incidents is primarily a bilateral matter between the member states concerned.
