Scotland's Fisheries Minister has warned that Irish ships could be boarded if they continue fishing in the area around Rockall.
It comes after the Government here rejected Scotland's threat of “enforcement action” against Irish fishing vessels in the disputed seas between the two countries.
Rockall is an uninhabited rock some 400km west of the Donegal coast.
Ownership of the rock has long been in dispute between Ireland and the UK.
Irish fishing vessels, however, have operated in the waters for decades under the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.
On Friday, Tánaiste Simon Coveney said he had received a letter from the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop.
The letter threatened to deploy vessels in the area to take “enforcement action” against any Irish vessels found fishing within 12 miles of Rockall.
It warned that Scotland would take the action from this weekend onwards.
Minister Coveney said the “longstanding position of the Irish Government is that Irish vessels are entitled to access to Rockall waters.”
Today, Scotland's Fergus Ewing expressed disappointment that fishing is continuing in the territory, and suggested that the threat of action is routine.
File photo dated 04/0/15 of Fergus Ewing. Picture by: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/PA ImagesIn an interview with RTÉ's This Week, Mr Ewing also discussed what could happen to ships in the area.
He observed: "The normal approach, of course, is to invite the captain / master of the vessel to cease and desist.
"If that instruction is obeyed, then there is no need for further action other than pursuit of the vessel to the nearest port.
"If it is necessary to do more, then the vessel would be boarded and action would be taken in accordance with the law."
Here, opposition politicians are urging the Government to defend the interests of the Irish fishing community over Rockall.
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty says Scotland's warning is a 'worrying development'.
The Donegal deputy said: "The first priority here is that the Irish Government needs to defend the interests of the Irish fishing community.
"The escalation of developments over the number of days by the Scottish authorities is seriously unhelpful - it also puts the future of fishing communities at serious risk."
