Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the ban imposed by Ireland in July 2006 on the shipment of munitions through State airports to Israel, is still in place; if there were requests for such shipments during 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34483/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Applications for the transit of munitions of war are considered on a case-by-case basis. During the recent crisis in Lebanon, I made clear that permission would not be granted to any such application for the transport of munitions of war to Israel.

The Government has since welcomed the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon and the ongoing implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. However, I am conscious of the continuing difficulties in the region, including the unresolved situation in Gaza. Against this background, any application for the transit of munitions of war will continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis, with regard to all relevant circumstances.

As regards actual applications in 2006, one application was received in May, from a civil air charter company operating on behalf of the US military. In this case, permission was granted for the transit through Shannon airport of a detachment of US troops, with their personal weapons, on their way to participate in an exercise in Israel. No other munitions were involved. This transit predated the recent conflict in Lebanon.