The Irish and British governments are set to discuss a territorial dispute which has cast doubts over the building of a huge wind farm off the coast of Co Derry.
The British Crown Estate last year granted a consortium - B9 Energy - a licence to carry out a study into the feasibility of building the wind farm on the undersea Tunes Plateau some five miles off the coast.
Opponents of the scheme - including local councils on Northern Ireland's north coast and in Co Donegal - have banded together to fight what they say would be a blot on the land and seascape and damaging to the tourism industry.
Up to 85 giant turbines could be built along part of the plateau - clearly visible from both the Derry and Donegal coasts.
The councils claim the licence should never have been issued by the Crown Estates since they may not even own the whole plateau.
The Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment said today it was aware of the claims and the Foreign Office was meeting the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs to try to resolve the matter.
Coleraine Borough Council - one of the leading objectors to the scheme - said the latest revelation could blow the wind farm project off course.
B9 Energy said it remained committed to the project and would continue with its feasibility study.
PA