asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the fact that on the 21st July, 1953, the Parliamentary Secretary stated in Dáil Éireann that a memorandum was ready for submission to the Government on the question of the extension of our territorial waters in accordance with the decision of the International Court of Justice at The Hague in the case of Norway, he is now in a position to state the Government's decision on the matter.

The answer to the Deputy's question is "No".

Does the Parliamentary Secretary state that this memorandum, which he stated on the 21st July last was ready, has not yet been submitted to the Government?

I want to assure the Deputy that this matter is under active consideration.

On the 21st July last the Parliamentary Secretary stated in Dáil Éireann that a memorandum was ready for submission to the Government on the question of the extension of our territorial waters in accordance with the decision of the International Court of Justice. Has that memorandum been submitted to the Government and is it still under active consideration?

I want to assure the Deputy that this matter is one of such very great importance that one memorandum does not produce finality in regard to it. I repeat that it has been since July, and still is, under most active consideration by a number of Departments.

Not by the Government?

By all the Departments concerned in it.