The Government voted in favour of a controversial EU fisheries deal with Morocco yesterday that will net Irish fishermen an extra quota of 7,500 tonnes of fish per year.
The €144 million agreement has been strongly criticised by human rights campaigners for trampling on the rights of the people of Western Sahara.
About 150,000 indigenous nomadic Saharans were forced to flee the territory when Morocco illegally annexed it after Spain's withdrawal in 1976. They now live in refugee camps close to the border of Western Sahara in very difficult conditions.
Under the terms of the deal fishermen from Ireland, Spain, France and several other EU states will be able to fish in Western Sahara's territorial waters from July 1st.
The deal was passed by ministers in Brussels despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice that the Saharans have the right to self-determination. Attempts by the UN to organise a referendum in the territory have been rebuffed by Morocco.
Sweden, the only EU state to vote against the deal, said it was concerned the deal was illegal because Morocco had no right to exploit the resources of the territory. Ann-Christin Nykvist, the Swedish fisheries minister, said she was disappointed that more states had not supported Sweden in an effort to block the deal. When asked if states had placed profit above principle, Ms Nykvist said that question should be put to the representatives of states that voted for the deal.
Irish Fisheries Minister John Browne was not available for comment yesterday but an official said the deal should provide benefits for the Western Saharan people.
Ireland took the unusual step of making a declaration on the deal at the fisheries council, supporting it "on the basis that it does not prejudice the long-standing position of the EU on the status of the Western Sahara".