Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Although the review is welcome, it concerns civilian aircraft, as the Minister of State knows. His Defence Forces are going down to Shannon and minding military aircraft that are not supposed to have any guns or munitions on board, for which we do not actually search. Is there any way that the Minister of State's Defence Forces could be used to make sure that those planes are keeping within international law? Up to ten military planes a week go through Shannon. The notion that there are no guns or munitions on any of them beggars belief.

When he was in opposition, the former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, asked how we could know what was on the planes if we did not search them. The Labour Party also wanted them searched when it was in opposition but when it went into government it did not want them searched any more.

Would the Minister of State not use his Defence Forces to start checking these planes? Let us keep them honest in one area.

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