Results 28,721-28,740 of 33,214 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I would describe Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett as many things but never long-winded.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: On whether the passing through of US troops makes Ireland or its airports a terrorist target, that is not the way in which a decision is framed on aviation security. When the Department is making a decision on an exemption, it considers what would be on the aeroplane and what could be the level of interaction with anybody on it. The political response or the potential violent response of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I can only speak about how I communicate because I must respond in a way over which I will be able to stand. There is a fundamental difference between the analogy that the Deputy drew and the relationships between sovereign states. They are governed by international law. There is also the willingness of this country to accept legitimate assurances from another country on activities we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The reason is that the cargo list must provide information on what is on an aeroplane. The short answer to the Deputy's question is that the information is given to us on a cargo list, making it visible to the State. The 19 refusals to which I referred - that is the number according to the most recent information for last year - were made on the basis of the input we had received from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I did not suggest that. I said they could have been carried on another flight, but they could also have been contained securely in the hold of the aeroplane or on a military flight passing through our jurisdiction, in which respect I play no role.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a reasonable stance to take. I am at this meeting to be held accountable for the areas in which I have competence and respond on matters for which I have collective responsibility. The key point is that we turned down a number of requests for exemptions and I have outlined why. The input received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was important. However, I am...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am sorry, but I have got mixed up between the different points being made. Would the Deputy mind putting his question again?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: No, we do not receive diplomatic notes in respect of civil aircraft.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: For each flight, the haulier - the flight company - supplies information to us. It is on that basis that we make a decision on civil aircraft. In the case of each of the 19 refusals, we received a list of the material or cargo that would be on board. Based on this information, a decision was made by my Department on the matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The flight company must give us an account of what would be on an aeroplane. We make a decision on that basis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, but it must still be consistent with international law. It must tell us what would be on an aeroplane.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I understand the Deputy's point, but my opinion on the matter differs because the assurances received from America cover all of the various aeroplanes it uses. Consider the allegation of extraordinary rendition that was put to me. The American Government has given us assurances that that is not taking place in the State. These assurances cover the various aircraft which pass through the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Of course.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: No. I am discussing civil aircraft because that is the area for which I have responsibility. We follow our procedures in the case of all states.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The variety of countries involved is the very reason we consult the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, it is not for me to adjudicate on a particular country. That is why we have a mechanism in place to get the input of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I will come back to the Deputy on another occasion regarding his question about spent uranium. In response to the second question, in 2014 Shannon Airport handled 55,952 US military personnel on passenger transit flights, a decrease of more than 80% on the peak number. This traffic represents approximately 4% of the total number of passengers through the airport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: (Resumed) Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (18 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I can obtain it for the Deputy. I imagine there are a few hundred personnel in that sector.