Military vessel movements off the Irish coast
Andrews asked whether Ireland shares information with the US and Britain about military shipping and whether submarines are navigating on the surface, citing maritime incidents. The Minister said submarines inside territorial waters must surface, but had no detailed information about the trawler incident and invited a separate question.
Could the Minister indicate if there is any sharing of information about movements of military shipping off the Irish coast in the Atlantic between America and Britain and ourselves? Do we know exactly what is going on in the area or are we just subject to occasional accidents that have occurred such as those affecting our trawlers, and the suspicion surrounding the Viscount plane crash?
Comment on this
That is a separate question. All I can say is that if submarines come inside our territorial seas they are required to navigate on the surface.
Comment on this
Is the Minister satisfied that that is happening in view of the sinking recently of a trawler off the Irish coast and from which the British military authorities admitted responsibility? Is the Minister satisfied that the movement of these ships is on the surface?
Comment on this
The incident to which the Deputy refers is a separate matter from the question asked and I have no detailed information about it.