Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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6. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Government has failed to ensure the reinstatement of access to the 12-mile limit around Rockall for the Irish fishing fleet, considering that the position of the British Government is entirely incompatible with international law. [11799/23]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Rockall is a traditional fishing ground for Irish fishermen, in particular Donegal fishermen. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has assessed the loss to be in the millions of euro. In the case of the likes of Greencastle, as much as 25% to 30% of the income could be lost. It is outrageous and has no basis in international law. Two years later, what is the Government is doing about this?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, Ireland has never made any claims to, nor has Ireland ever recognised UK sovereignty claims over, Rockall. Accordingly, it has not recognised a 12 nautical mile territorial sea around it. This remains the position of the Government.

The Government has been in contact with the relevant Scottish and UK authorities on Rockall over recent years and intensively since the beginning of 2021. Through this engagement, the Government is seeking to address the issues involved, reflecting the long-standing fishery patterns in the area.

Irish vessels have traditionally fished for haddock, which is subject to a quota limit, and squid, which, as the Deputy will be aware, is not subject to a quota limit, in the waters around Rockall. Haddock may be caught within and outside 12 nautical miles of Rockall, but squid is caught within six nautical miles of it. Other stocks caught in the waters around Rockall, within the 12-mile area and outside, are monk and megrim. The squid fishery around Rockall is known to be sporadic and varies from year to year. This is consistent with squid's short lifespan and erratic recruitment dynamics.

Approximately 25 Irish vessels have fished in the waters around Rockall during the spring and summer months in recent years. Under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, EU vessels must be licensed by the UK authorities. Since 1 January 2021, the licences issued by the UK to EU vessels, where granted, expressly preclude access to the 12 nautical mile zone around Rockall.

The Government is committed to finding a way forward on this issue that will support the important commercial fisheries around Rockall. We will continue to work closely with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin, over the coming period to address the issues involved. To this end, Irish officials are in active ongoing contact with their Scottish counterparts on possible ways forward.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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This is outrageous. There is no basis in international law for putting a nautical mile limit around an uninhabited rock. There is no basis for this under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS. It is absolute nonsense. How on earth is the Government tolerating this? How is it not being taken to international arbitration? Why did the Government sign off on the Maritime Jurisdiction Act on access for the British Government to and control of the area at a time when it is negotiating to reinstate our traditional fishing grounds to our fishermen? Who on earth would tolerate that?

We talk about Brexit and the attitude of the Tories. They have arbitrarily kicked Irish fishermen out of our traditional fishing grounds, with no international legal basis for doing so. I have raised this issue many times over the past two years on the floor of the House and nothing has been done about it. The Government has not called this out internationally or gone for international arbitration. How many times does the Government have to talk to these people before it does what is right by international law?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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This is a matter that involves more than the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Department of Foreign Affairs has a key role to play.

I will outline some of the interventions made by Government in recent times. As Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy Martin, last discussed the matter of Rockall with Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, at the end of last year. It was agreed to prioritise this matter and continue to work together to seek to resolve the outstanding issues.

As Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney met his Scottish counterpart, the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson, to discuss the issue. They agreed to continue to prioritise this matter and work together to seek to resolve outstanding issues. Working together with the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are active discussions between the Irish and Scottish side exploring all options. Further discussions at political and official level are planned over the coming period.

Through these engagements, the Government is seeking to address the issues involved, reflecting long-standing fishery patterns in the area. The Government's position regarding the territorial claims on Rockall is consistent with long-standing Government policy.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Under Brexit, the British Government and fishermen around the coast of Britain regained 70% of what are now territorial waters. We lost about 15% of the overall value. In areas like pelagic fishing, nephrops and prawns, we were badly walloped. This industry in Ireland is currently being decommissioned. The whitefish sector in Ireland is about a third of what it was 15 years ago. This is the reality of the Irish fishing sector.

We have tolerated a situation whereby we are being excluded from our traditional fishing grounds in Rockall. Up to 30% of the value in somewhere like Greencastle is gone. We have allowed this to happen for two years. There is no basis in international law for this. It is an uninhabited rock. We cannot put a six or 12-mile limit around an uninhabited rock. It is utter nonsense. Why are we tolerating this?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I have clearly outlined the approach of the Government to this. We have a long-standing Government policy which has not changed. Our policy is very clear regarding the position of Rockall and we continue to engage diplomatically. We have a key role to play in our engagement with our partners in Scotland. I have outlined the steps that have been taken and which we will continue to take. We have agreed with the Scottish representatives to prioritise this at all levels, from the Office of the Taoiseach to the Department of Foreign Affairs. That prioritisation and working with Scotland will continue to try to find a solution to this because the Government position on Rockall has not changed.