Clare Daly
Ceist:
806. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the attention of An Garda Síochána was drawn to the fact that an aircraft (details supplied) which landed at Shannon Airport on 11 and 12 July 2018 was on contract to the US military while it was at the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33082/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra
I have requested the specific information sought by the Deputy from the Garda Authorities and I will write to her directly when that information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
I refer further to Parliamentary Question No. 806 of 24 July 2018 regarding if the attention of An Garda Síochána was drawn the fact that an aircraft (details supplied) which landed at Shannon Airport on 11 and 12 July 2018 was on contract to the US military while it was at the airport.; and if I would make a statement on the matter.
In my reply I stated that I had sought the information from the Garda authorities and that I would communicate with the Deputy as soon as it was to hand.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the aircraft referred to in your question arrived in Shannon at 09.35 on 12 July 2018 and departed at 11.40 on 12 July 2018. I am further informed that the aircraft was a civilian aircraft on charter to the US military and there were no passengers on board. This was a cargo aircraft and was parked on a cargo aircraft parking stand, which is not at the main passenger terminal.
Permission to land in the State is subject to clear policy stipulations – that aircraft are unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, do not engage in intelligence gathering and that the flights do not form part of military exercises or operations. These arrangements apply to all
foreign military aircraft landing in Shannon. These arrangements are fully consistent with our policy of military neutrality.
I trust that this has clarified matters the Deputy.
