Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 September 2004
113 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government can verify that no US civilian or military aircraft permitted to overfly Irish airspace or land in Irish airports has transported prisoners captured in Afghanistan or Iraq en route to non-US jurisdictions or to Guantanamo Bay; and if not, the steps the Government has taken to prevent this from occurring. [23176/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the basis of its ongoing contacts with the US authorities, the Government has no information to suggest that there are any cases of prisoners being transported through Irish airports in the circumstances referred to in the Deputy's question.
114 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of US civilian aircraft carrying arms en route to the Middle East which have been granted permission to land in airports here since September 2002; the number that have been denied permission; the number of US military aircraft en route to the Middle East that have been granted permission to land in airports here since September 2002; the number that have been denied permission; the number of US civilian aircraft carrying arms and en route to the Middle East which have been permitted to overfly Irish airspace since September 2002; the number that have been denied permission; the number of US military aircraft en route to the Middle East that have been permitted to overfly Irish airspace since September 2002; and the number that have been denied permission. [23177/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraPermission for foreign military aircraft to overfly, or land in, the State is granted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952. Permission is normally granted on condition that the foreign military aircraft is unarmed, and not carrying arms, ammunition or explosives. It is not the practice of the Government to release details of an individual country's landings and overflights. Queries concerning civilian aircraft, including those in the employ of foreign governments, are a matter for the Minister of Transport.
