Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Shannon Airport is being used to tranship huge supplies of depleted uranium to Iraq and Afghanistan. [10641/07]

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 is dependent upon a number of 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 in relation to this matter and has confirmed that its records support this.