Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Tánaiste. Ten days ago, images of the Vice President of the United States rallying US troops on their way to the Middle East went viral across the Internet because he was doing so in a civilian airport in a supposedly neutral country. These images served as a stark reminder that for over a decade, our civilian Shannon Airport has been used by the US army as a virtual forward base for carrying out military operations and exercises in the Middle East. Could one imagine a more salient image to undermine the neutrality of this State than an image depicting the US Vice President rallying US troops in our civilian airport in Shannon before they are transited off to a war zone in the Middle East to do God knows what? Such images make our neutrality a laughing stock.

Since 2002, over 2.5 million US troops have transited through the civilian airport at Shannon on their way to war zones in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Millions of people have been murdered in those wars. We know that in the first six months of 2017, some 427 permits were approved for military-contracted airplanes to stop off and fly through Irish airspace. We know from these permits that the airplanes in question were on their way to Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Does the Tánaiste believe it is a coincidence that each of those countries is part of the Saudi-led coalition that is waging a savage war against the Yemeni people? Does he know how many people have died in that conflict in the past two years? Between 8,500 and 10,000 people have died in the Yemeni conflict, and at least 5,000 of them were civilians.

Thanks to this country's Government, we are facilitating ongoing death and destruction through a civilian airport. Perhaps the airport in question, Shannon Airport, has become a military airport. We need to call this what it is - the end of any reasonable claim by Ireland that it is a neutral country. I do not know whether the Tánaiste believes in neutrality. Perhaps he would like to tell us. We allow US military aircraft to transit troops and weapons to war zones where they kill people. We are now in the process of committing ourselves to permanent structured co-operation, which would increase our military spending year on year at a time when we are experiencing a housing and homelessness crisis. In effect, we are committing ourselves to a European army that will involve itself in the missions and crimes of NATO.

Does the Tánaiste accept that we - the Irish people - have a right to our civilian airport in Shannon? Does he accept that this right is continuing to be denied to us? It has been laid bare to people since 2003 that a civilian airport is being used as a military forward base. The idea that the US Vice President could address US soldiers on their way to the Middle East in our civilian airport in Shannon reveals the extent to which Irish neutrality has been undermined by successive Irish Governments. The question I originally tabled sought to ascertain how the Tánaiste reconciles these facts with our policy of State neutrality. I see that his colleagues in the Civil Service have translated that question so that it has become a request for a statement on our policy of neutrality. I ask the Tánaiste how he can reconcile the disgraceful scene at Shannon Airport just over a week ago, when the US Vice President told his troops to focus on their mission as they headed off to war from our airport in Shannon, with the policy of neutrality.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I hope the Senator is not insinuating that civil servants have done something inappropriate here because I do not believe they have. I will answer the question I have been asked to answer. I welcome the opportunity to reaffirm this Government's full commitment to Ireland's long-standing policy of military neutrality, which is characterised by non-participation in military alliances. Article 29 of the Constitution provides a framework for our policy of military neutrality. It clearly commits the State to uphold "the ideal of peace and friendly co-operation amongst nations" and "the principle of the pacific settlement of international disputes".That commitment was most recently detailed in the White Paper on defence I brought forward as Minister for Defence, which was published in August 2015. It reaffirmed that Ireland's policy of military neutrality remains a core element of Irish foreign policy, as was previously articulated in the review of foreign policy, The Global Island, published in January 2015. The Government recognises that our neutrality underpins and strengthens our foreign policy and adds substance to the peacekeeping efforts in which we have been involved for over 50 years. This allows Ireland to project a positive, progressive and impartial image on the international stage. The Government upholds and will continue to uphold that long-standing and publicly cherished policy.

The Senator's question refers to a routine refuelling stop of the aircraft of the Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, on 20 January 2018. Responsibility for the regulation of foreign aircraft landing or overflying the State is shared between Departments. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility for the regulation of foreign military aircraft. Successive Governments have made landing facilities at Shannon available to the United States for many years and the facility to land is also made available to military aircraft from other countries. Permission must be sought in advance for all landings by foreign military aircraft. Foreign military aircraft of all states request permission to avail of facilities at Shannon or other Irish airports and must adhere to strict conditions that are applied to ensure compatibility with Ireland's policy of military neutrality. Such conditions routinely include stipulations that the aircraft is unarmed, carries no arms, ammunition or explosives, that it must not engage in intelligence gathering and does not form part of any military operation or exercise. In considering requests for landings by foreign military aircraft, my Department's primary focus is on whether the flights in question comply with these conditions. No distinction is made between states when it comes to applying these criteria. Facilitation of landing requests for foreign military aircraft does not alter or breach Ireland’s policy of military neutrality and nor does the refuelling of a government jet en routeto political consultations..

The Vice President of the United States was welcome in Ireland during his very short visit. It was a routine stopover and Ireland should continue to co-operate in a friendly manner with the United States, in particular when the Vice President is on his way to another part of the world and Ireland can offer an efficient stopover, as it did. My understanding is that, coincidentally, there were United States troops in Shannon Airport at that time. As Senator Gavan stated, there have been many instances of United States troops passing through Shannon on their way to other parts of the world. Ireland is a natural and very convenient stopover for flights crossing the Atlantic on the way to parts of the Middle East and, under the conditions I outlined, we have for many years offered that facility to unarmed US troops. My understanding is that in this instance the troops were on a civilian aircraft. It is no surprise that a Vice President of the United States, knowing that there were US troops in an airport through which he was travelling, chose to go and meet them. Were I in his position, I would have done the same.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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I am struck by a couple of phrases from the speech the Tánaiste has made, such as the "positive, progressive and impartial image" that our neutrality helps our country to portray. Does he think a positive, progressive and impartial image was portrayed when the Vice President of the United States was rallying his troops in our airport in Shannon? The Tánaiste did not answer my question as to whether he thought it appropriate for Mr. Pence to do so in a civilian airport in what is supposed to be a neutral country.

I am glad the Tánaiste quoted Article 29 of the Constitution, which refers to "the ideal of peace and friendly co-operation amongst nations". Perhaps he can reconcile that with the facilitation of the war in Yemen by the Government. I cannot reconcile the concepts of peace and friendly co-operation among nations with the Government decision, and the Tánaiste is the man in charge in this regard, to facilitate the ongoing support of that war through Shannon Airport.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is important to say that, as would be customary in any routine refuelling stop, the Vice President of the United States of America availed of the facilities at Shannon Airport. My notes are very clear on this. During the course of this stopover, the Vice President availed of the opportunity to engage informally with a number of US troops since they were passing through also.

To answer the Senator's question directly, I do not believe that this is proof or an indication of anything that undermines Irish neutrality. It is no secret that US personnel crossing the Atlantic often stop in Shannon Airport for refuelling. This does not mean that it determines Irish foreign policy. The Senator would like to insinuate that, but it does not.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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It clearly does.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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No, it does not. Irish foreign policy is determined by the Government and by the Oireachtas. Before Irish troops go anywhere to any part of the world, we have a triple-lock system, which is a proven system that people trust. This is the basis for our military neutrality.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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The Government is facilitating the US support for war in-----

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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We have also facilitated other countries that have landed and refuelled aircraft in Shannon.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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Does that make it right?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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This is called international co-operation. Ireland is a friendly country with friendly relations with many countries. It does not mean-----

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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Tell that to the people of Yemen.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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With all due respect to the Senator, I suspect that I have spoken a lot more about Yemen than he has-----

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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What has the Minister done about it?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I do not know that for sure, but I have raised the issue of Yemen repeatedly-----

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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So have I.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator will have to find another way of dealing with it.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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-----so I will not take any lectures from the Senator about moral positions on Yemen. We have worked through UN bodies and through the EU to try to ensure action is taken to protect civilians in Yemen and to make sure aid can get in to Yemen, which is being prevented.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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What action is the Minister taking to ensure this?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I will continue to do that but I will not accept the insinuation that because we have a friendly relationship with many countries, some of which choose to use our airport facilities appropriately and within a framework that I have outlined, this somehow undermines Irish neutrality-----

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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They are on their way to war.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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-----and our decision making, because it does not.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Tánaiste and the Senator.