Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, made under the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1946, gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. Permission must be sought in advance for landings by all foreign military aircraft, including US aircraft, and, if granted, is subject to strict conditions. These include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed, must not engage in intelligence gathering, the flights in question must not form part of military exercises or operations and the aircraft must carry no arms, ammunition or explosives.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has primary responsibility for the regulation of foreign civil aircraft in Ireland. Under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order of 1973, the carriage of munitions of war through Irish airspace or Irish airports is prohibited on civil aircraft unless an exemption has been obtained from the Minister. In considering applications for exemptions, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport consults with a number of Departments, including my Department. However, the final decision on all applications lies with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to whom any questions regarding the quantity of munitions transported by civil aircraft landing at Shannon Airport should be addressed.

In considering requests for landings by foreign military aircraft, my Department’s primary focus is on whether the flights in question comply with conditions which I have already outlined. These conditions do not include a requirement in relation to the numbers and designation of passengers. Accordingly, my Department does not compile records of the numbers of passengers, including military personnel, travelling on foreign military aircraft.

Any queries regarding the numbers of US military personnel who pass through Shannon Airport on chartered civil aircraft should be directed to my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

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