Military Aircraft Landings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 February 2014

Wednesday, 19 February 2014

Questions (48)

Seán Crowe

Question:

48. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of requests to carry munitions from military aircraft landing at Shannon or passing through Irish airspace in 2013; the number of permits issued; the reasons for rejecting the requests for which permits were not granted; the breakdown of countries from which the requests were made and the permits were granted; and the number of permits granted to military aircraft landing at Shannon. [8431/14]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. Permission to overfly or land in the State is subject to certain policy stipulations; namely that the aircraft are unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, do not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights in question do not form part of any military exercises or operations.

In 2013, there was only one request for diplomatic clearance for an overflight involving an aircraft which was carrying munitions. In line with the policy outlined above, permission to overfly was not granted in this case.

No such requests were made in relation to military aircraft landing at Shannon Airport.