Military Aircraft

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 September 2017

Thursday, 28 September 2017

Questions (247, 248, 249)

Clare Daly

Question:

247. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of munition of war permits issued between 1 June and 31 August 2017 under Article 5 of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973; the details of the date, the aircraft operator, the location from which they were flying to and from and the cargo they were carrying that required the permit; the instances in which he has refused permit requests for the same period; the name of the aircraft operator; and the basis on which the permit request was refused. [41158/17]

Clare Daly

Question:

248. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason for the drop in the number of exemption applications to carry munitions processed in May and June 2017; and the reason for the increase again in July 2017. [41159/17]

Clare Daly

Question:

249. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the detail of the eight flights which landed here with munitions classified as dangerous goods on board in August 2017; the reason for the high number of flights; the countries they were from; the destination in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41160/17]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 to 249, inclusive, together.

My Department publishes on its website a Monthly Statistical Report on Munitions of War Exemptions issued under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973, (SI No. 224 of 1973). This can be accessed by the Deputy via the following link www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/publications/aviation/english/statistics-munitions-war/1-20170906-munitions-war-statistics-end-august-2017.pdf (latest figures available are up to the end of August 2017). The remainder of the information sought by the Deputy for the period 1 June 2017 to 31 August 2017 (inclusive) will be forwarded to the Deputy. 

The number of applications processed in any month traditionally fluctuates depending on the number of applications my Department receives at any given time from the various airlines. The flights with dangerous goods on board that landed in Ireland were in respect of the unloaded weapons including ammunition carried by members of an Garda Síochána flying to/from Italy and the remainder is in respect of a consignment of munitions being sent to Switzerland on behalf of the Irish Defence Forces.

In relation to the 6 refusals detailed in the tabular statement found at the following link, these were all refused on the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Statistics 1 Jun - 31 Aug]