Executive officials sat in on Lough Foyle diplomacy pow wow

FIRST Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness say the ownership and jurisdiction of Lough Foyle is an “excepted matter” but admitted OFMDFM officials sat in when UK and Irish Government officials discussed the issue at a meeting in January.

By The Newsroom

Published 31st Mar 2012, 17:18 BST

North Antrim MLA Jim Allister asked the Ministers for their Department’s position on the ownership and jurisdiction of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough.

In a joint reply they stated: “This is an excepted matter but one in which this administration has a direct interest through its range of statutory responsibilities in relation to both loughs.”

They added: “A meeting of UK and Irish Government officials took place in January to discuss a range of specific environmental and marine issues arising from the current jurisdictional position of Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle.

“OFMDFM officials attended the meeting as observers in respect of the various statutory responsibilities exercised in both loughs by departments of the Executive and which were relevant to the discussion.”