Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the expected use of Shannon Airport by the US military in 2012. [3104/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department deals with requests to carry munitions of war or dangerous goods on civilian aircraft under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders, 1973 and 1989. The majority of these flights land at Shannon Airport.

The landing of military aircraft in the State is a matter for my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 foreign military aircraft are not permitted to fly over or land in the State save on the express invitation or with the express permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Individual permission must be sought in the case of each US military flight, including those at Shannon Airport.

It is not possible to anticipate in advance how many such requests will be submitted in 2012 nor the expected use of Shannon Airport by the US military in 2012.