Vol. 571 No. 1
429 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Irish authorities still persist in providing airports and airspace to assist the US military operations in Iraq; and the number of flights which were made for the months of July, August and September 2003. [19830/03]
Ireland has been making overflight and landing facilities available to the US for over 50 years, a period which covered many crises and military confrontations. These facilities have never been withdrawn at any stage during that period. In the context of the military operation against Iraq, the Government's decision to maintain existing arrangements was approved by Dáil Éireann on 20 March 2003. Ireland is only one of a number of refuelling stops availed of by the US military en route to destinations in the Gulf and elsewhere. The total numbers of foreign military aircraft overflying and landing in Ireland during the period referred to by the Deputy are provided beneath.
|
July |
August |
September |
|
|
Landings of foreign military aircraft |
57 |
26 |
42 (to 24 September) |
|
Overflights of foreign military aircraft* |
306 |
388 |
|
July |
August |
September |
|
|
Landings of civilian aircraft chartered by the US defence authorities |
160 |
71 |
81 (to 23 September) |
