Vol. 558 No. 1
220 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 96 of 13 November 2002, the number of permissions to land military aircraft here in the past 12 months which have been granted to the United States; the relevant figure for each month; the number of permissions granted to US military aircraft to overfly Ireland in the past 12 months; the relevant figure for each month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23621/02]
As the Deputy has acknowledged, I have recently provided details of the total number of landings and overflights of foreign military aircraft during the past 12 months. This indicates the total level of activity. For obvious security reasons, I do not intend to release details in relation to particular countries.
221 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which his Department determines whether a foreign military aircraft overflying or landing in Ireland is following the Government's guidelines of being unarmed, carrying no arms, ammunition or explosives, not engaging in intelligence gathering and not forming any part of military exercises or operations; if checks for arms, ammunition or explosives have ever been carried out by the authorities on any foreign military aircraft landing here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23622/02]
Permission for landings and overflights is normally granted to foreign military aircraft on the basis that the aircraft is unarmed, does not carry arms, ammunition or explosives and does not form part of a military exercise or operation.
Successive Governments have accepted, in good faith and in accordance with international practice, that the details supplied to the Department of Foreign Affairs by diplomatic missions are accurate. In this situation, checks of the nature referred to by the Deputy are not conducted.
