Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has had further discussions with the US Secretary of Homeland Security regarding the extension of full US preclearance facilities at Shannon Airport to cargo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18160/10]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 210: To ask the Minister for Transport the discussions he has had with the US Secretary of Homeland Security regarding the extension of full US preclearance facilities to cargo at Shannon Airport; if so, the outcome of these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18161/10]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to have further discussions with the US Secretary of Homeland Security regarding the extension of full preclearance facilities to cargo at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18162/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 211, inclusive together.

As the Deputy will be aware the Preclearance facilities at Shannon Airport became operational for commercial aircraft on 5 August 2009 and for private aircraft on 1 March this year.

The Ireland-U.S. Preclearance Agreement signed by myself and the then U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, on 17 November 2008, does not provide for the preclearance of cargo. However, this is an issue that I raised with Secretary Chertoff at the time and later with his successor Janet Napolitano. Both were receptive to the opening of discussions on cargo preclearance from Ireland, once we had fully established passenger preclearance. Preclearance in Dublin Airport is due to commence later this year with the opening of Terminal 2.

When passenger preclearance is fully established at both Dublin and Shannon Airports I will pursue the issue with the U.S. Authorities again about cargo preclearance.