Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2016
315. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to ascertain whether the sharp increase in military aircraft of the US landing and overflying Shannon Airport in County Clare between 4 June and 12 June 2016, (details supplied) was linked to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Annaconda military exercises in Poland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16949/16]
View answerI refer to the list of aircraft movements provided by the Deputy and note that it comprises overflights and landings by military and civil aircraft. 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 while the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has primary responsibility for the regulation of foreign civil aircraft in Ireland. I shall therefore confine my reply to the activity of foreign military aircraft referred to by the Deputy.
Permission must be sought in advance for landings by all foreign military aircraft, including US aircraft and, if granted, is subject to strict conditions. These include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights in question must not form part of military exercises or operations.
I can confirm that all applications submitted by the US Embassy concerning landings by US military aircraft for the period covered by the Deputy’s list stated in each case that the flight met each of the conditions which I have outlined above, including that the flight did not form part of a military exercise.
My Department received 32 requests to land at Shannon Airport on dates between 1 and 12 June 2016. This compares to 19 requests received for landings on the equivalent dates in 2015. Department officials have asked the US Embassy to re-confirm the details provided in respect of two of the aircraft to which the Deputy refers.
I would note that the number of requests to land at Shannon received from the US Embassy for the wider period 1 January to 12 June is broadly comparable in 2015 and 2016. My Department received a total of 283 such requests in 2015 compared to 288 in 2016.
Overflights by US military aircraft are permitted without prior notification, on the basis that the aircraft are unarmed, carry only cargo and passengers and comply with navigational requirements.
