Significant blocks to resolving Foylejurisdiction issues

Fisheries Minister Michelle O’Neill and Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland met with the then Minister for State in the Irish Department of Natural Resources, Fergus O’Dowd, in the city at the end of June.

Amongst the issues discussed at the North/South Ministerial Council meeting was who owns and manages the seabed of Lough Foyle, Mrs O’Neill said on Monday.

Back in 2009 the Sentinel reported that although the Republic of Ireland’s territorial claim over Northern Ireland was dealt with by the amendment of articles 2 and 3 of its constitution in 1999, Dublin still maintains it owns half of the seabed of Lough Foyle.

But the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) says Lough Foyle is British and that is not negotiable.

The Minister said that the Loughs Agency chaired a meeting at the end of May to discuss operational issues associated with the development of an agreement to manage things such as seabed leasing.

She stated: “The interdepartmental group that is examining the long-standing jurisdictional issues and other issues also met on May 29.

“The group received an update on the significant challenges being faced in resolving those issues and is considering possible ways to progress matters.”