Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
256. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether Ireland should continue to facilitate the ongoing use of Shannon Airport by US army troops given Ireland's neutrality. [33687/21]
View answerIreland's traditional policy of military neutrality is characterised by non-membership of military alliances and is not inconsistent with military aircraft of other states being allowed under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, to land in Ireland under certain circumstances.
Foreign military aircraft are permitted to land in the State only if they meet strict conditions, routinely including that the aircraft is unarmed, and carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it is not engaged in intelligence gathering; and that it does not form part of a military operation or exercise.
Furthermore the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973 prohibits the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft, including on troop-carrying civil aviation operators, through Irish airspace or Irish airports, unless an exemption has been granted by the Minister for Transport. Statistics on such exemptions are published on the Department of Transport’s website.
