Results 4,501-4,520 of 32,572 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 am not aware of it. If it is the case, I will revert to the Senator. I am not aware of such permission having been sought.

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: There would be two reasons. My understanding is that in 2014 there were 19 refusals. Permission was refused on the basis of the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. If that refusal happened they were then required to reroute, so they were not allowed through Irish air space. Regarding the rationale as to why that would be the case, the stated policy of the Department 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: 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: I cannot give the Chairman an exact list of what that weaponry would be. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade defines policy in that area. If I can be of further help on that matter I will be, but it is a matter for which the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility.

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: As regards the rationale for the refusals I discussed with Senator O'Keeffe, they were all refused on the basis of advice we received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. As regards the nature of cargo aircraft, we would expect that the majority of them would be civil. I would have responsibility for them and my answers would apply thereto. I touched on the inspection...

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: That would involve the nature of the suspected munitions that were on it and whether they are discriminate or indiscriminate. I have done my best to give the definition of what "indiscriminate" is. The Chairman has, fairly, asked for more on that. As I said, however, that definition is a matter for 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: The Deputy referred to the fact that we turned down 19 applications. I would see it slightly differently to him because the fact that 19 were turned down is evidence that we do take that responsibility seriously. We look at broad considerations in this respect. We have an input from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is important in our deliberations. In addition, my own...

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 by no means seeking to cut off the Deputy and will do my best to answer all of his questions, but I have an engagement at 5.30 p.m. I do not mean to be disrespectful to the committee.

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.