Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total number of military aircraft that landed at Dublin Airport in 2012 and to date in 2013; the names of the State forces to which these aircrafts belong; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14428/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. My Department granted permission for the landing of 37 foreign military aircraft at Dublin Airport in 2012. By 19 March 2013, permission had been granted for the landing of 34 such aircraft. Permission was granted in all cases subject to the normal conditions that apply to landings at Irish airports by foreign military aircraft, namely, that the aircraft are unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and do not engage in intelligence gathering and that the flights in question do not form any part of military exercises or operations.

The table provides details of the countries involved and the number of times permission was sought to land in Dublin Airport. In the vast majority of cases, military aircraft used the landing facilities at Dublin Airport for the transport of dignitaries or other persons participating in high-level visits and official meetings in Ireland. A significant number of these landings relate to Ministerial attendance at the OSCE Ministerial meeting which was held in Dublin in 2012 and at various meetings relating to the Irish Presidency of the EU in 2013.