Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste received a formal letter of notice from the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop MSP, on 31 May, stating that Scotland would deploy vessels in the Rockall area to take "enforcement action" against Irish vessels found fishing within 12 miles of Rockall.

Ireland's position is that there is no basis for excluding Irish fishing vessels from the waters around Rockall as they are legitimately pursuing EU fishing opportunities and have done so unhindered for decades. We do not accept that there is any justification for enforcement action against Irish vessels fishing legitimately in these waters. The United Kingdom claims sovereignty over Rockall and a 12-mile territorial sea around it. The United Kingdom first made its claim of sovereignty in 1955 and sought to incorporate it as part of the UK in its domestic law by virtue of the Island of Rockall Act 1972.

The Irish Government has never sought to claim sovereignty over Rockall. Its position has been, and remains, that it does not accept the UK’s claim to sovereignty over Rockall, which it regards as forming part of the UK's exclusive economic zone and, accordingly, part of European Union waters under the Common Fisheries Policy, to which the principle of equal access for the vessels of all EU member states applies. Irish vessels have operated unhindered in the Rockall zone for many decades fishing haddock, squid and other species.

I met as soon as possible representatives of the Irish fishing sector to inform them of the letter from the Scottish authorities, but also confirmed that Ireland’s position on Rockall had not changed. The industry representatives explained that Ireland's main fisheries in the Rockall area are for haddock and squid and both fisheries are of substantial economic importance to our fishing fleet based in Greencastle, Killybegs, Castletownbere and other ports. The industry was appreciative of that engagement, but was also concerned at the possibility that unjustified enforcement action might be taken against them. The issue was not raised by me during the debates on the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill earlier this year as it was not relevant to that debate and even it had been, I do not believe that the position of Scotland on Rockall would have, or should have, influenced in any way our determination to re-establish the longstanding entitlements of Northern Irish fishermen under the voisinagearrangement. This was the right thing to do in the interests of all the peoples on this island.

We have built with Scotland a strong and positive relationship to our mutual benefits over many years. I hope that we can use that close relationship to find a way to resolve these matters and to remove the unacceptable threat of enforcement action against Irish vessels.

Dialogue is continuing between the Irish and Scottish Governments and there have been close contacts at official level which are ongoing. It has been agreed that a process of intensified engagement will take place, led by senior officials from both administrations. We are hopeful that on this basis the latest difficulties can be de-escalated.