Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
801. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of US troops and the quantity of weapons and munitions that have passed through Shannon Airport in each month to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7618/20]
View answer837. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of US troops and the quantities of weapons and munitions that have passed through Shannon Airport in each month to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8043/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 801 and 837 together.
The carriage of munitions of war on board civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory and on Irish registered civil aircraft, wherever they may be, is governed by the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders, 1973 and 1989.
My Department publishes statistics online regarding the number of such applications made and further details the numbers that are granted, refused and cancelled. These statistics are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/15da60-the-carriage-of-munitions-of-war-on-civil-aircraft/
My Department has no function with regard to the transit of foreign military personnel through Irish sovereign territory or Irish airports.
Shannon Airport Authority has informed my Department that they collate such information at the end of each month, and that the number of US military personnel that transited through Shannon Airport from January 2020 to the end of April 2020 were:
|
Months in 2020 |
Number of US military personnel that transited Shannon Airport |
|
January |
6,617 |
|
February |
6,069 |
|
March |
9,290 |
|
April |
4,149 |
