Ireland to seek extension of sea territories
Ireland has made an application to the UN to extend the boundaries of our sea territory further into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Government is hoping to secure the rights to any natural resources which are discovered in this area in the future.
This claim is only the fourth of its kind in the history of the UN.
Australia, Brazil and Russia have all sought to control more of their surrounding waters in the past.
The extra seabed in the Atlantic Ocean covers an area half the size of Ireland.
It’s hoped valuable tracts of oil or gas may be found here in the future.
And the Government isn’t stopping there.
It hopes to lay claim to more sea areas, once boundary disputes are settled with Iceland and the Faroe Islands over parts of the Atlantic in the north, and with France and Spain over parts of the Celtic Sea in the south.
The UN won’t entertain applications over disputed areas.
But a seven member commission will consider our most recent submission in August.
