Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 June 2018
55. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 53, 165 and 200 of 14 June 2018, if an aeroplane was in fact involved in military operations (details supplied) immediately prior to the emergency that required the emergency landing at Shannon Airport on 3 June 2018 contrary to the response given. [27155/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn extremely urgent request for landing facilities was granted on 3 June 2018 for a US military aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender, on the basis that this was purely an emergency situation. The aircraft concerned was not in Irish sovereign airspace when the emergency was declared nor was it scheduled to enter Irish sovereign airspace under its original flight plan. The US Embassy subsequently confirmed to my Department in writing that the aircraft in question was unarmed, did not carry any arms, ammunition or explosives, was not engaged in intelligence gathering and that the requested flight did not form part of any military operations or exercises.
