Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. He said these occurrences are not common but, in fact, they have happened twice in the past few months. He is right in his praise for the role of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation in the first incident. It has been very vocal on behalf of the fishermen it represents and their livelihoods and safety at sea. The group has also been speaking about the dangers from such incidents for marine life, including fish, dolphins and whales, and the danger to the environment and our neutrality. We are meant to be a neutral country. It looks like these activities, or the requests to have them happen, are being stepped up within our waters.

The Minister did not answer my question about whether the French military exercise has been put off permanently or for a few days? We were informed a couple of days ago that the French were trying to go ahead with it. Is it completely off the agenda for now or is it just being moved a few feet outside our territorial waters?

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