Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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417. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 396 of 22 February 2022, the naval exercises by foreign navies he was referring to and the dates and duration of all such exercises in the past 20 years. [11347/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As I have said, under international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), naval exercises are recognised as being part of the freedom of the high seas. These exercises taking place in the Irish EEZ or the passage of naval vessels of other States through the Irish EEZ is not in any way an infringement of our national territory. States are not obliged, in most cases, to inform the coastal authorities of any proposed naval exercises. My attention has been drawn to some naval exercises that have taken place in Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

As I advised in my capacity as Minister for Defence when replying to the Deputy on the 15^thof February, I will not be disclosing specific details that are held by the Naval Service in relation to activities of foreign militaries.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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418. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he or his predecessors have given permission to the other countries' warships or submarines to conduct naval exercises within Ireland’s territorial sea in the past 20 years. [11348/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On occasion, countries seek permission to participate in a joint exercise with the Irish Naval Service in the Irish territorial sea. Permission has been given in a small number of such instances, none of which involved live fire. Outside of these rare circumstances, permission is not granted for naval vessels of other States to conduct naval exercises within our territorial sea.