Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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3. To ask the Minister for Defence the Defence Forces resources allocated to aiding the civil power duties at Shannon Airport to date in 2015; if he is satisfied that this is an effective use of Defence Forces personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7071/15]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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According to the programme for Government, the Government "will enforce the prohibition on the use of Irish airspace, airports and related facilities for purposes not in line with the dictates of international law". The Government is using the Defence Forces at Shannon Airport to protect aeroplanes that it refuses to inspect. In light of the programme for Government, does the Government have a mandate to allow the aeroplanes through without inspecting them? Last week, a Minister told the House that he did not have a mandate to pass the fatal foetal abnormalities Bill. I do not believe that the Government has a mandate to allow those aeroplanes through, given the commitment in the programme for Government.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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We have debated this issue before. An Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid for the civil power, ATCP, which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested. The Garda has requested ATCP support from the Defence Forces at Shannon Airport since 2003. To date in 2015 there have been 47 deployments at a cost of €24,116, which includes security duty allowance, rations and fuel. Such requests are operational matters for An Garda Síochána. Accordingly, security assessments and decisions to seek support from the Defence Forces are matters for An Garda Síochána.

I am satisfied with the existing arrangements and have no plans to recommend a more active role for the Defence Forces.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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I am at a loss to understand why aircraft are not being searched. The Middle East is in complete turmoil. There is no doubt that there are aircraft leaving America, landing at Shannon Airport and proceeding to war fronts. This is in breach of international law. Leaving aside the lack of searches, are checks made to see where these aircraft propose to land? The number of excuses for the lack of searches continues to grow. The latest excuse is that the current arrangement has been in place for more than 50 years. That is not true. Up until 1999 all such aircraft did not carry weapons or munitions but troops returning to their depots in Germany or home on holidays. Now, they are going to war fronts and carrying munitions. The excuse of diplomatic immunity has also been used. Diplomats, not soldiers and munitions, have diplomatic immunity. This is a smoke screen for the Government in not doing what it should be doing and taking any responsibility in this regard.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I will update the Deputy on the facts as I understand them. I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, that arrangements under which permission is granted for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports are governed by strict conditions. They include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed and carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering. The aircraft in question must also not form part of military exercises or operations. Requests to permit the landing of military aircraft are considered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the basis of these conditions. It is the normal diplomatic practice of the Department to accept the assurances of the foreign government concerned that legislative and policy requirements have been met. The Deputy's suggestion that aircraft are carrying arms through Shannon Airport is not consistent with the policy I have outlined.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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If a check point is set up by the Garda and a car is stopped because it is suspected that the occupants might be carrying drugs, gardaí do not ask for an assurance that they do not have drugs in the boot of the car and, having received that assurance, allow them to proceed without checking the boot, which is what is happening in the case of military aircraft landing at Shannon Airport. There is no logic to not searching them. We know that diplomatic assurances from the United States are not worth the paper on which they are written.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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How do we know that?

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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They have been found out. The leaks by Mr. Snowden and Chelsea Manning revealed that the United States had been telling lies for a long period about its foreign policy. Shannon Airport was being used to torture prisoners and we are not even prepared to investigate the matter. When an aeroplane from Ireland carrying the former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern travelled to the United States, it was checked, yet we continue not to check US aircraft. Will the Minister give one good reason we should not search these aircraft? I will be appearing before the court in Ennis next Tuesday. A number of people who have seen guns on aircraft have been subpeonaed to appear in court. There are munitions on such aircraft and it is ridiculous to pretend otherwise.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There is what is called trust.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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They have blown it.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I will give the Deputy an example of trust in the other direction. As of last week, we are exporting Irish beef to the United States. We approve beef factories that meet the standards required to sell meat to the United States. This is the result of an arrangement between two friendly sovereign countries. We have an agreement, too, on the matter raised by the Deputy and we expect the United States to abide by it. This is not the same as the Garda stopping a car during a drugs operation, assuming one is dealing with a criminal.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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The criminals-----

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In this regard, we are speaking about a government, one with which the Irish Government has a good relationship.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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It is lawless.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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We are facilitating the landing of aircraft under the conditions I have outlined which are the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The relationship is one that should be maintained.