Ireland elected to the Council of the International Seabed Authority

Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD has welcomed Ireland’s inaugural election to the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

Welcoming the ISA Assembly’s decision to elect Ireland to the Council for the year 2025, the Tánaiste said: “Ireland will take its seat on the ISA Council at a time when our oceans are already facing significant challenges, including habitat destruction, pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, sea-level rise, ocean acidification and ocean warming.

On the Council, Ireland will be a voice for upholding international law, for the protection of the marine environment, for science-based decision-making, and for sustainable development. We will also advocate for high standards of institutional governance, transparency and accountability.

“We will continue to oppose deep-sea mining until we have sufficient scientific knowledge and a robust regulatory framework to ensure that it can be done responsibly, in accordance with international law.”

The Tánaiste also welcomed the election of Leticia Carvalho of Brazil as the next Secretary-General of the ISA: “Leticia Carvalho will be the first woman to serve as Secretary-General of the ISA and the first from the Latin America/Caribbean region. She will bring a wealth of experience, excellent environmental credentials, and strong personal integrity to the role.”

Note for Editors

The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea established the International Seabed Authority to regulate mineral resources exploration and exploitation of the international seabed, which falls beyond national jurisdiction.

The Council, comprising 36 states, is responsible for developing regulations on deep-sea mining, approving exploration and exploitation contract applications, and overseeing the implementation of contracts.

To date the ISA has only authorised exploration activities but there have been recent efforts by some states and mining companies to accelerate moves towards the commencement of commercial deep-sea mining, despite ongoing regulatory framework negotiations and significant scientific knowledge gaps regarding deep-sea ecosystems and the potential mining impacts.

In July 2023 the Government announced its support for a precautionary pause of deep-sea mining, advocating for a robust regulatory framework and sufficient scientific knowledge to allow for informed decision-making.

On 2 August 2024, the ISA Assembly elected Ireland to the Council for the year 2025, under Group E, ensuring equitable geographical distribution of seats. This will be the first time that Ireland has served on the Council.