Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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32. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of times the Defence Forces have been called on to perform aid to the civil power duties at Shannon airport to date in 2017; his plans to make changes to the arrangements whereby the Defence Forces provide aid to the civil power at the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32619/17]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Ireland, sadly, has been sponsoring the US war of terror and aggression in the Middle East, Afghanistan, northern Africa and beyond for 16 years now. Different Governments in that time have found it difficult to admit that we are complicit in what is happening. We cannot for one second say we are neutral any more, given that we are allowing Shannon to be used as a US military base for the region in which they have caused untold destruction.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his question. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for the use of Shannon Airport by foreign military aircraft and for the granting of permission for overflights by foreign military aircraft. The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State.

Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of aid to the civil power which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The decision to seek support from the Defence Forces is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána. Security assessments are carried out by An Garda Síochána, which determines if Defence Force assistance is required. The number of times the Defence Forces have been called on to perform aid to the civil power duties at Shannon Airport to date in 2017 is 167. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to disclose the precise detail of such deployments. Since 5 February 2003, An Garda Síochána has requested support from the Defence Forces at Shannon Airport on occasion.

I have no plans to make changes to the current aid to the civil power arrangements as set out in the White Paper on Defence. I am satisfied that there is ongoing and close liaison between An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, and between my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality regarding security matters generally, including the Defence Forces aid to the civil power roles.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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In March alone, US-led airstrikes in Iraq and Syria have killed at least 1,400 civilians. A US airstrike levelled a residential area in Mosul, killing as many as 200 civilians. Imagine if this was Dublin - to kill 200 civilians and say it was a mistake. How in God's name can we continue to allow one of our airports be used to facilitate their war of aggression? This is one of the worst chapters in the history of mankind. It is horrific. Over 1 million Iraqis have died since 2003. Where is the rationale for it? We had people like Bush and Blair telling lies to organise the start of the war in the first place, and we agreed to let our airport be used. Can we not rethink this? I do not believe for a second that we would lose any US business if we said we did not want our airport used as a military base any more.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility for overflights and landings of foreign military aircraft. This has been facilitated for 50 years or more. I presume that when the Deputy speaks about what has happened in Iraq and whatever is on board the planes, he is aware that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, has recently announced that his Department will conduct an internal review to identify the options available for updating various aspects of the order. I also understand that a public consultation is envisaged to ensure that any proposed changes are considered in an open and transparent manner. I presume that, when this is open to public consultation, the Deputy will make his comments available to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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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.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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That would be a matter for An Garda Síochána. We are called upon as aid to the civil power by An Garda Síochána when we are required to provide a service at Shannon Airport. As I have stated, we have provided a service on 167 occasions since 1 January 2017. It is not my area of responsibility. It is a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which has primary responsibility for overflights and landings of foreign military aircraft, and for An Garda Síochána after that.