Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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417. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the communications the UK Royal Navy has with its counterparts here in relation to the ongoing movements and exercises of its submarines in the Irish exclusive economic zone but just outside Ireland's territorial waters; and if he will assure Irish fishers that they are not endangered by these practices while fishing in the waters around the coast. [23616/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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With regard to Ireland's EEZ, it is not unusual for naval ships or vessels of other States, including the UK, to carry out training exercises within this area or to passage through this area. This would normally involve prior notification to Irish Authorities where an exercise was taking place close to our Territorial Waters but this is not a requirement. I can confirm in the case of the recent submarine sighting off North West coast of Donegal the Naval Service were aware of the vessel but did not receive advance communication of the vessel’s activity or position from their UK colleagues. It is not a requirement for foreign authorities to give Ireland advance notice of such activity and the vessel in this case has not done anything out of the ordinary. Other States' naval ships or vessels would be within their rights to carry out a training exercise in our EEZ or to traverse the Irish EEZ. This is not in any way an infringement of our national territory.