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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 May 1988

Vol. 380 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foreign Military Aircraft.

12.
Séamus Pattison

Mr. Pattison

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of foreign military aircraft which has been permitted to land in this country in each year since 1980; their country of origin; and the reasons for landing in each case.

Charles J. Haughey

The Taoiseach

The information requested by the Deputy about numbers of landings by foreign military aircraft and their countries of origin is in the form of a tabular statement which will appear in the Official Report of the House. The total numbers of such landings ranged from 128 in 1981 to 311 in 1985.

The considerable amount of work which would be involved in identifying the reason for each of over 1,700 landings in the period since 1980 would not be justified. I can say, however, that landings are usually for operational reasons such as refuelling, maintenance or repairs or for rest and relaxation purposes. For example, shopping at Shannon Airport. Foreign military aircraft are also allowed to land in connection with visits by important personalities, as part of their participation in humanitarian search and rescue operations or because they are diverted due to weather conditions.

Landings by Foreign Military Aircraft.

Country

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988 (to 31 March)

Algeria

1

11

3

Argentina

1

Australia

1

Belgium

19

29

39

29

19

43

41

40

10

Bulgaria

2

1

Canada

5

24

31

41

51

48

38

13

5

Colombia

1

Denmark

1

1

Ecuador

1

Egypt

6

4

4

1

Finland

2

2

France

37

22

32

24

63

33

29

23

9

Great Britain

14

5

5

4

7

12

11

8

7

Fed. Rep. Germany

7

2

6

14

7

9

1

Guinea

2

Israel

1

Italy

2

1

3

10

17

10

12

5

Jordan

1

2

1

2

Kenya

3

Mexico

1

2

Morocco

1

1

Netherlands

1

2

2

Niger

1

Nigeria

1

1

1

Norway

1

1

1

Peru

1

Portugal

4

2

Romania

3

1

Saudi Arabia

1

2

2

3

Spain

3

1

Sudan

2

1

Sweden

1

Turkey

1

3

Uganda

1

United Arab Emirates

4

USA

35

40

35

44

124

121

96

122

25

Yugoslavia

2

2

1

Totals

134

128

153

152

306

311

238

248

64
Proinsias De Rossa

Proinsias De Rossa

Will the Taoiseach indicate from what states the aircraft came——

Charles J. Haughey

The Taoiseach

It is all set out in the tabular statement.

Seán Treacy

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should await the tabular statement.

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