Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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484. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 426 of 7 October 2014, the position regarding Hercules C130 registration number 16/8073 which landed at Shannon Airport on 30 September 2014, but was at Shannon on 1 October 2014, in relation to his view that it was not involved in any military operations or exercise, in view of the fact that it was operated by a reserve marine corps squadron called the rangers which has been involved in many operation in Libya and Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40309/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Shannon Airport Authority has confirmed that no aircraft with the registration number 16/8073 was at the Airport on the dates in question. Arrangements under which permission is granted for US military aircraft to land at Irish airports are governed by strict conditions. These include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights in question must not form part of military exercises or operations. Requests to permit the landing of military aircraft are considered by my Department on the basis of the conditions outlined above.