The Irish Government has been called upon to tell their British counterparts that they do not own Lough Foyle.
The call was made by local Sinn Féin Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn.
The Buncrana politician said the Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan must challenge the latest pronouncement from the British Government.
In response to a parliamentary question, the British Secretary of State for the North, James Brokenshire asserted that his Government’s position remains that “the whole of Lough Foyle is within the UK”.
Senator Mac Lochlainn said this is an arrogant and provocative pronouncement but is a repeat of previous pronouncements and again and again, previous Irish Governments have failed to sort it out.
He said “I am calling on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan to immediately challenge this assertion on behalf of the Irish people.
“I am also calling on Minister Flanagan to clarify what is the status of the negotiations between the two governments on the ownership of the Lough.
“The Loughs Agency tasked with responsibility for managing Lough Foyle by both governments have been repeatedly calling for a resolution so that the real tourism and fisheries potential of the Lough can be fully realised.
“Minister Flanagan also needs to clearly outline why agreement has not been reached to date.”
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