Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Defence the arrangements, if any, in addition to the Defence Act, that apply to the wearing of uniforms by foreign military personnel, and in particular US military personnel, inside and outside Shannon Airport. [11919/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Where requests are received by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for permission for persons to enter the State wearing any foreign uniform in accordance with Section 317 of the Defence Act, 1954, they may be forwarded to my Department for observations and information purposes. Foreign military personnel enter the State from time to time in order to attend official meetings, seminars, courses and various diplomatic and other social functions. In many cases, these personnel arrive in the State in civilian attire and only wear uniform at the particular function or meeting in question. This is, in general, standard international military custom and practice. Visits of foreign Naval vessels are also arranged through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Such arrangements generally include the wearing of uniforms ashore as part of the routine protocol arrangements.

In the context of the requirements of Section 317 of the Defence Act, 1954, the US authorities have been given express permission for their military personnel to wear uniforms in the transit areas of Irish airports, including Shannon Airport. When their onward flight is delayed for operational reasons, it may be necessary to accommodate transiting military personnel in nearby hotels. In such cases, permission may also be sought from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for them to wear uniform in the hotel and on their way to and from it.