Claims beyond the Continental Shelf
Deasy asked whether Ireland would contest land-locked states’ claims to sea-bed beyond the Continental Shelf. The Minister said the issue was under consideration and that Ireland would claim a proportionate interest; he confirmed that Ireland was staking a claim.
Reports emanating from the Law of the Sea Conference indicate that land-locked countries are claiming seabed areas further out than the Continental Shelf and I should like to know if the Minister is in agreement that those claims should be allowed or if he is contesting that issue?
Comment on this
That is definitely a separate matter. The question relates to the seabed surrounding the country but the claim by the land-locked states relates to the areas outside the Continental Shelf or extensions of it. I did not take that as being part of the Deputy's question but that is one of the other issues under consideration at the conference at present. We will be making the same claim for a proportionate interest there with anybody else.