Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the claim by a former US marine, speaking in Trinity College, Dublin, that depleted uranium shells were carried on planes that landed in Shannon Airport; the steps he has taken to check the validity of the claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4194/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Where it is sought to transport munitions of war through Irish territory, the permission of the Minister for Transport, in the case of civilian aircraft, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the case of foreign military aircraft, is required. The grant of such permission depends upon several different factors, among them air safety, Ireland's obligations under international agreements, and policy considerations. A search of the records held by both Departments has shown that there have been no applications for the transport of depleted uranium munitions from the period building up to the Iraq war to the present day. The US Embassy has been contacted about this matter and confirmed that its records support this.