Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 3

Written Answers. - Foreign Military Aircraft.

John Gormley

Question:

91 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the authority, if any, on which permission was granted for a navigational exercise in the State by a French Air Force Mirage aircraft on 4 September 1997; if he will give details of the requested flight plan of the aircraft, including the co-ordinates of entry, planning route, point of exit and height in the territory of the State; if he will give the same details for the actual track of the aircraft as observed by the Irish Aviation Authority; the directions, if any, governing requests for military exercise such as this which have been given to officials of his Department and the Irish Aviation Authority; and the action, if any, which is being taken to deal with breaches of the Offences against the State Act in this case. [17823/97]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, foreign military aircraft require the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to overfly, or land in, the State. Permission is subject to the conditions that the aircraft are not armed, do not carry armaments or aerial photographic equipment, do not engage in intelligence gathering and do not form part of a military exercise or operation.

Following a request from the French authorities, the Department of Foreign Affairs gave permission for the overflight to take place. Relevant agencies, including the Department of Defence, the Air Corps, the Department of Public Enterprise and the Irish Aviation Authority were consulted in advance of permission being granted. The French authorities understood and accepted the conditions set out above.

It is not the practice to publish details of the flight plans of state aircraft. I am not aware of any breaches of the Offences against the State Act in this case.