Éire agus Dlí na Farraige
Leagann Dlí na Farraige síos sraith rialacha a rialaíonn teidlíocht stát cois cósta do limistéir mhuirí, a gcearta agus a ndualgais laistigh de na limistéir seo agus an chaoi ar chóir teorainneacha gach limistéir a bhunú. Mar stát cósta a bhfuil stair fhada den loingseoireacht aici bhí ról gníomhach ag Éirinn i bhforbairt na rialacha sin.
As a coastal state with a broad continental shelf, rich fishing grounds and a long coastline Ireland had a strong interest in the development of clear, comprehensive and universally accepted rules to regulate states’ rights and duties in, on and under the seas. The Irish delegation played an active and leading role during the negotiations on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in particular in relation to the legal regime of the continental shelf, the rules on maritime boundaries and the status of rocks and other islands that cannot support human habitation.
In Ireland, the Minister for Foreign Affairs has primary responsibility for establishing the State's international boundaries, including its maritime boundaries. Provision in domestic law for the various maritime zones and boundaries is currently made in Part 3 of the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 (which replaced the Maritime Jurisdiction Act 1959), and the 1968 Continental Shelf Act. The State's maritime jurisdiction law will be consolidated and updated upon enactment of the Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2021. The text of the Bill can be read here.
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was adopted at Montego Bay, Jamaica, in 1982 at the conclusion of nine years of negotiations. The Convention, which contains 320 articles and nine annexes, deals comprehensively with all issues relating to the use of the world’s seas and oceans and has been described as the ‘Constitution of the Oceans’. Ireland ratified the Convention on 21 June 1996.
UNCLOS sets out the rights and duties of states in different maritime zones (such as the territorial sea, the continental shelf, the exclusive economic zone and the high seas), regulates marine scientific research and exploitation of living and non-living natural resources, and makes extensive provision for protection of the marine environment.
UNCLOS established the International Seabed Authority to regulate certain activities on the seabed of the deep ocean beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to determine legal disputes between states. It also established the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to examine scientific data gathered by states seeking to extend their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles and to make recommendations on where their outer limits should be established.
Ireland has concluded the following maritime boundary agreements and arrangements with the United Kingdom:
- Protocol supplementary to the 1988 Agreement concerning the Delimitation of Areas of the Continental Shelf between the Two Countries, done at Dublin on 8 December 1992 (No. 2 of 1993).
Outer Limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone established by the Maritime Jurisdiction (Boundaries of Exclusive Economic Zone) Order 2014.
Straight Baselines, Bay Closing Lines and outer limits of the Territorial Sea following the making of the Maritime Jurisdiction (Straight Baselines) Order 2016 and the Maritime Jurisdiction (Bay Closing Lines) Order 2019.
The continental shelf of a coastal state is the natural prolongation of its land territory that extends underwater, through its territorial sea, to the outer edge of the continental margin. Geological conditions differ around the world and, depending on a coastal state’s location on the planet, its geological continental shelf may be narrow (20-30 nautical miles in breadth) or very broad, as in the case of Ireland where in places the shelf may extend up to 500 nautical miles (approx. 900 km) from shore.
Under the UN Convention on the Law of Sea a coastal state is entitled to a ‘juridical’ continental shelf that extends 200 nautical miles from its shores, regardless of whether its continental shelf physically extends that far, subject only to the same entitlement of its neighbours. It is entitled to an even broader shelf if supported by geological and other data.
A state wishing to extend its shelf beyond 200 nautical miles must make a submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Ireland’s continental shelf physically extends beyond 200 nautical miles to the west and south of the country and, working together, the Departments of Foreign Affairs and of the Environment, Climate and Communications have in all made three submissions to the Commission – in 2005 in relation to the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, then jointly with France, Spain and the UK for the seabed of the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay, and finally for the Hatton Rockall area of the North East Atlantic in 2009.
The submission concerning the Porcupine Abyssal Plain successfully resulted in the addition of 39,000 km² of seabed to the State’s continental shelf. The Commission has also made recommendations that would enclose an area of approx. 80,000 km² of seabed in the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay and the division of this area is currently under negotiation between the four countries concerned. In addition, regular discussions have taken place for a number of years between Ireland and the UK (who agreed continental shelf boundaries in 1988), Iceland and the Faroe Islands in relation to overlapping claims in the North East Atlantic.
Mr. Peter Croker, a geophysicist and then official of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, was elected a member of the Commission for three terms between 1997 and 2012, and served as its chairman between 2002 and 2007.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea provides that all coastal states have the exclusive right to regulate, authorise and conduct marine scientific research in their territorial seas and exclusive economic zones and on their continental shelves. Requests for authorisation by foreign vessels are considered by the Marine Institute in consultation with relevant agencies and Departments. Applications for research cruise authorisation should be submitted through the diplomatic channel by the flag state of the vessel from which it is proposed to conduct research. Further information is available from the Marine Institute.
Submarine cables laid within the territorial seas of the State require a prior foreshore consent issued by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Anyone seeking to lay a cable on the Irish continental shelf should consult the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure that the cable’s proposed route does not interfere with current or planned uses of the seabed.
Tuilleadh eolais
Léigh Ráiteas ón Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore T.D. ar Éirinn agus ar Dhlí na Farraige (Aibreán 2011)
- Réamhrá
- UNCLOS
- An Scairbh Ilchríochach
- Taighde Eolaíoch Muirí
- Cáblaí Fomhuirí
Réamhrá
Réamhrá
Mar stát cósta a bhfuil scairbh ilchríochach leathan aici, meánna saibhre iascaigh agus imeallbhord fada, bhí suim láidir ag Éirinn i bhforbairt rialacha cuimsitheacha soiléire a bhfuil glacadh go huilíoch leo chun cearta stát agus dualgais stát sa bhfarraige, ar an bhfarraige agus faoin bhfarraige a rialú. Bhí páirt ghníomhach agus threorach ag toscaireacht na hÉireann le linn na gcaibidlíochtaí ar Choinbhinsiún na NA ar Dhlí na Farraige (UNCLOS), go háirithe maidir le réim dhlíthiúil na scairbhe ilchríochaí, na rialacha ar theorainneacha muirí agus stádas carraigreacha agus oileán eile nach féidir leo tacú le daoine ina gcónaí orthu.
In Éirinn, tá príomhfhreagracht maidir le bunú teorainneacha idirnáisiúnta an Stáit ar an Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha & Trádála, lena n-áirítear a theorainneacha muirí. Déantar foráil i ndlí baile do na limistéir mhuirí agus do na teorainneacha éagsúla i gCuid 3 d’Acht Iascaigh Mara agus Dlínse Muirí 2006 a tháinig in áit an Achta um Dhlínse Mhuirí 1959.
UNCLOS
UNCLOS
Glacadh le Coinbhinsiún na Náisiún Aontaithe ar Dhlí na Farraige (UNCLOS) ag Bá Montego, Iamáice, in 1982 ag deireadh naoi mbliana caibidlíochta. Déileálann an Coinbhinsiún, ina bhfuil 320 airteagal agus naoi n-iarscríbhinn, go cuimsitheach le gach saincheist a bhaineann le húsáid farraigí agus aigéan an domhain agus rinneadh cur síos air mar ‘Bhunreacht na nAigéan’. Dhaingnigh Éire an Coinbhinsiún ar 21 Meitheamh 1996.
Leagann UNCLOS amach cearta agus dualgais stát i limistéir mhuirí dhifriúla (mar an fharraige theorann, an scairbh ilchríochach, an limistéar eacnamaíoch eisiach agus an mhórmhuir), rialaíonn sé taighde eolaíoch muirí agus dúshaothrú acmhainní nádúrtha beo agus neamhbheo, agus déanann foráil fhorleathan do chosaint na muirthimpeallachta.
Bhunaigh UNCLOS an tÚdarás Idirnáisiúnta um Ghrinneall na Farraige chun gníomhaíochtaí áirithe ar ghrinneall an aigéin dhoimhin thar theorainneacha na dlínse náisiúnta amach a rialáil, agus an Binse Idirnáisiúnta do Dhlí na Farraige chun díospóidí dlíthiúla idir stáit a chinneadh. Bhunaigh sé freisin an Coimisiún um Theorainneacha na Scairbhe Ilchríochaí chun scrúdú a dhéanamh ar shonraí eolaíocha a bhailigh stáit a bhí ag iarraidh a scairbheacha ilchríochacha a leathnú thar 200 míle farraige agus le moltaí a dhéanamh faoin áit ar chóir a dteorainneacha forimeallacha a bhunú.
An Scairbh Ilchríochach
An Scairbh Ilchríochach
Is fadú nádúrtha ar a chríocha talún í scairbh ilchríochach stát cósta a shíneann faoin uisce, trína fharraige teorann, go dtí an t-imeall lasmuigh den chiumhais ilchríochach. Bíonn toscaí geolaíocha difriúla ann ar fud an domhain agus, ag brath ar láthair stáit chósta ar an bplainéad, féadfaidh a scairbh ilchríochach a bheith cúng (20-30 míle farraige i leithead) nó an-leathan, mar a tharlaíonn i gcás na hÉireann áit a shíneann an scairbh suas le 500 míle farraige (thart ar 900km) ón gcladach in áiteanna.
Faoi Choinbhinsiún na NA ar Dhlí na Farraige bíonn teidlíocht ag stát cósta ar scairbh ilchríochach ‘dlítheanach’ a shíneann 200 míle farraige amach óna chladaí, cuma an síneann a scairbh ilchríochach chomh fada sin amach nó nach síneann, faoi réir ag an teidlíocht chéanna ag a chomharsana. Tá sé i dteideal scairbhe níos leithne fós má thacaíonn sonraí geolaíocha agus sonraí eile leis.
Caithfidh stát ar mian leis a scairbh a shíneadh amach thar 200 míle farraige aighneacht a chur faoi bhráid an Choimisiúin um Theorainneacha na Scairbhe Ilchríochaí. Síneann scairbh ilchríochach na hÉireann go fisiciúil thar 200 míle farraige amach ar an taobh thiar agus ar an taobh ó dheas den tír, agus tá 3 aighneacht in iomlán déanta ag na Ranna Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála, agus Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha don Choimisiún, agus iad ag obair i gcomhar – in 2005 maidir le Má Aibhéiseach an Torcáin, agus ansin i gcomhpháirt leis an bhFrainc, an Spáinn agus an Ríocht Aontaithe do ghrinneall na Farraige den Mhuir Cheilteach agus de Bhá na Bioscáine in 2006, agus ar deireadh do limistéar Hatton Rocal den Atlantach Thoir Thuaidh in 2009.
D’éirigh leis an aighneacht maidir le Má Aibhéiseach an Torcáin agus cuireadh 39,000 km² breise de ghrinneall na farraige le scairbh ilchríochach an Stáit. Rinne an Coimisiún moltaí freisin a chuimseodh limistéar thart ar 80,000 km² de ghrinneall na farraige sa Mhuir Cheilteach agus i mBá na Bioscáine agus tá roinnt an limistéir seo faoi chaibidil faoi láthair idir na ceithre thír lena mbaineann. Thairis sin bhí plé rialta ar siúl le roinnt blianta idir Éire agus an Ríocht Aontaithe (a d’aontaigh teorainneacha scairbhe ilchríochaí i 1988), an Íoslainn agus Oileáin Fharó maidir le héilimh fhorluiteacha san Atlantach Thoir Thuaidh.
Toghadh an tUas. Peter Croker, geoifisiceoir agus oifigeach de chuid na Roinne Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha ag an am, ina chomhalta den Choimisiún do thrí théarma idir 1997 agus 2012, agus d’fhóin sé mar chathaoirleach idir 2002 agus 2007.
Taighde Eolaíoch Muirí
Taighde Eolaíoch Muirí
Forálann Coinbhinsiún na NA ar Dhlí na Farraige go mbíonn cearta eisiacha ag gach stát cósta taighde eolaíoch muirí a dhéanamh, a údarú agus a rialú ina bhfarraigí teorann agus i limistéir eacnamaíocha eisiacha agus ar a scairbheacha ilchríochacha. Déanann Foras na Mara iarratais ar údarú ó shoithí iasachta a bhreithniú i gcomhairle le gníomhaireachtaí agus Ranna ábhartha. Ba chóir iarratais ar údarú do thuras mara taighde a chur isteach tríd an gcainéal taidhleoireachta ag an stát a bhfuil a bhratach ar foluain ag an soitheach óna bhfuil sé i gceist an taighde a dhéanamh. Tá tuilleadh faisnéise le fáil ó Fhoras na Mara.
Cáblaí Fomhuirí
Cáblaí Fomhuirí
Tá toiliú urthrá roimh ré arna eisiúint ag an Aire Comhshaoil, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil riachtanach do cháblaí fomhuirí a leagtar síos laistigh d’fharraigí teorann an Stáit.
Ba chóir d’éinne atá ag iarraidh cábla a leagan ar scairbh ilchríochach na hÉireann dul i gcomhairle leis an Roinn Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha lena chinntiú nach gcuireann bealach beartaithe an chábla isteach ar úsáidí reatha nó pleanáilte ghrinneall na farraige.