Vol. 484 No. 4
68 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the attention of his Department and of the Irish Aviation Authority has been drawn to the fact that the French airforce flight in Irish air space on 4 September 1997 was a military exercise; and the reason this permission was granted contrary to the Air Navigation, Foreign Military Aircraft, Order of 1952. [22388/97]
As I stated in my previous reply to the Deputy on 4 November, permission was granted to the French authorities for an overflight subject to the conditions that the aircraft not be armed, not carry armaments or aerial photographic equipment, not engage in intelligence gathering and not form part of a military exercise or operation. The French authorities understood and accepted these conditions. The granting of permission was in full conformity with the provisions of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952.
