Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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197. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views that US military aircraft that operate as refuelling tankers were recently sighted at Shannon airport; if they are connected to the mid-air refuelling of any US military aircraft in Irish airspace; and if so if this indicates that some or all of these aircraft were involved in military operations while there were on Irish territory or in Irish airspace. [42643/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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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, including aircraft that can operate as refuelling tankers, are considered by my Department on the basis of the conditions outlined above. Permission is not granted for the conduct of military operations in Irish airspace.