Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I assume the Minister of State, Deputy Andrews, is also taking the second Adjournment matter. With due respect to him, I was anxious that the relevant Minister would be present because this is a particularly difficult but very important issue in my area.

I declare an interest. I live beside the River Foyle which I can see when I look out any window in any room in our house. For that reason, I am very anxious about its development. It is a jewel in our crown which is underdeveloped. A great difficulty lies ahead of us unless we face this issue head-on.

I am concerned about the overall management of the Foyle and its tributaries. The Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission are in charge of salmon fishing in Lough Foyle. Recent legislation also gave the agency control of aquaculture licensing.

When the Good Friday Agreement was implemented the issue of ownership of the bed of the lough was not dealt with. A Member of the Welsh Assembly brought this matter to my attention and asked me to raise it in Ireland. For example, if I were granted an aquaculture licence by the Loughs Agency, which is a cross-Border agency, the Crown Estates Commission would have the right to object to my being granted the licence. When I raised this issue in the media the Crown Estate responded by saying it makes no claim to the Foyle, its bed or its tributaries until the two Governments clarify the legal standing of the waters.

I hope this Adjournment debate will be brought to the notice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Minister with responsibility for the marine. The Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has met a number of people on the subject of the Loughs Agency. I ask not only that I be kept informed of these discussions but that I be asked to contribute to them. The Honourable the Irish Society, the Crown Estates Commission, the Duke of Abercorn and a number of other people lay claim to elements of the Foyle. I challenge these claims. The Irish Free State was originally designated as all of the island, its tributaries, its coastline and all aspects. When the Six Counties were retained in the United Kingdom there was no mention of lakes, tributaries or coastline. I will not wrap a flag around myself on this issue. However, Lough Foyle has massive potential for aquaculture, fishing and beyond into marine leisure and recreation. There are other economic opportunities which have not yet been realised.

The review mechanism of the St. Andrews Agreement should examine the role and composition of the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. More power should be given to the agency and it should be expanded and, perhaps, fundamentally reformed. A single agency should look after all the interests of the Foyle and give it a massive opportunity for development. I ask for this because the agency is currently a cross-Border body. If a cross-Border body is given the right to manage all aspects of the Foyle we will have the best chance of co-ordination and the agency will be able to deliver. The third parties might then withdraw their claims. The Crown Estate appears to make claims but, when the claims are challenged, says it does not make claims. The review mechanism of the St. Andrews Agreement could address this issue once and for all and put all management of the Foyle and its tributaries under a single agency.

I could give details of the various organisations which are deeply unhappy at the third party interventions to which they are exposed. This issue is a dangerous boil which needs to be lanced. I have been speaking to other parties from various backgrounds in Northern Ireland. People of persuasions different from my own and far from my own background are equally upset and want to see this issue dealt with. I hope this will give comfort to officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and reassure them that this is the right time to deal with the issue of the overall development of the bed of Lough Foyle.

We are an island and must exploit our resources. We are in an economic crisis. One way out of it is to maximise the treasures we have. We have a treasure in Lough Foyle.