asked the Minister for Defence the measures which are being taken to prevent overflying of this country by foreign military aircraft, particularly those carrying armaments and nuclear missiles; and if he will indicate our Defence Forces' ability to detect and intercept any such flights.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Overflying by Foreign Milatary Aircraft.
10.
The Air Navigation Order, 1952, provides that foreign military aircraft may not fly over the State unless at the express invitation or with the express permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Such aircraft must also comply with such stipulations as the Minister for Foreign Affairs may make. The conditions under which permission is given for foreign military aircraft to travel through Irish-controlled airspace provide that the aircraft be unarmed and not carry arms or missiles.
I understand that the Department of Foreign Affairs are satisfied, on the basis of assurances given by the countries concerned, that military aircraft travelling through Irish-controlled airspace abide by these conditions and that no overflights by foreign military aircraft take place other than those for which permission is given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Accordingly, the question of intercepting overflights of this country by foreign military aircraft does not arise.
If there was an unauthorised flight by a foreign military aircraft over this country, what measures could be taken and how would the Minister even know about it? To what extent can we detect such flights?
The Air Corps have not the capacity to detect overflights or the equipment to intercept any aircraft violating our airspace. However, interception would not be appropriate action in peacetime and any violation would be followed by taking up the issues through diplomatic channels.
Can I take it from the Minister of State's initial reply that the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Defence are satisfied there has been no single abuse of the regulations and agreements he has mentioned? Is that what he is saying?
I have not said that.
Maybe he does not know and he has no way of finding out.
I did not say that.
The Minister of State did not say that but I have the impression — and I will get a written version of his reply later — that he was saying we have no reports of incidents where foreign military aircraft went into Irish airspace unauthorised. Is that correct?
I will repeat my reply. I understand that the Department of Foreign Affairs are satisfied, on the basis of assurances given by the countries concerned, that military aircraft travelling through Irish-controlled airspace abide by the conditions that I referred to in the early part of my reply and that no overflights by foreign military aircraft take place other than those for which permission is given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Will the Minister of State accept that it should be an integral and important part of our capacity as a neutral, independent State that we would be able on our own behalf to monitor overflights and to report to ourselves rather than having to rely upon the rather spurious assurances of other people that they are not violating the regulations we seek to impose? Has the Minister of State or his Department any proposals to equip us with the capacity at least to monitor, if nothing else, the overflight of military aircraft in our airspace?
The detection and control on overflights through our airspace by all aircraft is undertaken by the air traffic services of the Department of Tourism and Transport. However, in some circumstances foreign aircraft could avoid detection if they wished to do so by flying over 40,000 feet and switching off navigation equipment.
The Minister of State has indicated that we have no means of detecting foreign military aircraft overflying our airspace and he indicated in reply to a previous question that we have no means of detecting foreign submarines violating our territorial waters. That is of great concern to the House. Will the Minister of State again address what he intends to do about it? Will he indicate to the House the last occasion when permission was given by the Department of Foreign Affairs for overflights by foreign aircraft?
I am dealing here with a question asking the measures which are being taken. I have addressed my attention to replying to that.
What other measures——
Deputy Deasy.
I am being upstaged. I had intended to leave the submarine question until the next day. It appears that our military neutrality does not count for much when we can do nothing about it. Does the Minister of State consider that planes should be asked to land when requested to do so at a few minutes' notice? Seemingly that is the only way we can discover whether these planes are carrying unauthorised equipment or armaments. Will the Minister of State consider introducing a provision that prior notice of overflights has to be given? Of course we should have the authority to ask planes to have random checks, to land at some of our major airports so that we can check to see whether what we have been told is correct. Does the Minister of State favour such a system?
A system is in operation whereby a request for permission to overfly land in the State must be made and quite a large number of conditions apply to that. I will bear the Deputy's question in mind in reference to this problem.