Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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19. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason US military aircraft at Shannon have not been routinely searched to ensure our neutrality is not being breached. [15404/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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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. In this context, permission for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports is given only on condition 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. These conditions apply fully to US aircraft and are fully compatible with Ireland’s policy of military neutrality. In accordance with international practice, foreign military aircraft passing through Ireland with the permission of the Government are not subject to routine searches or inspections. As the Tánaiste outlined in a response to the Deputy in this House on 19 November 2013, the principle of sovereign immunity applies automatically to foreign State or military aircraft.