Vol. 405 No. 2
47 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the steps his Department takes to ensure that conditions set by it with regard to permission for overflights or landing facilities granted to foreign military aircraft with specific reference to the prohibition on the carrying of weapons, are complied with; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, foreign military aircraft require the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to overfly, or land in, the State. Such permission has normally been granted on condition that the aircraft are not armed, do not carry armaments or aerial photographic equipment, do not engage in intelligence gathering and do not form part of a military operation or exercise. Now, as the Taoiseach told the Dáil on 18 January, in considering any requests which may be made, we must also take account of our obligations under the UN Charter and of the specific request of the Security Council in paragraph 3 of Resolution 678 of 29 November 1990, asking all member states to provide appropriate support for the actions undertaken in pursuance of that resolution.
