Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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21. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the regular presence of US refuelling tankers at Shannon, such as the Hercules No. 2311 present on 29 October 2014; if he will confirm whether these tankers have been connected to the mid-air refuelling of any US military aircraft in Irish airspace; if his attention has been further drawn to the existence of over-flights by US military aircraft close to the times that these refuelling tankers took off or landed at Shannon airport; if this indicates that some or all of these aircraft were involved in military operations while they were on Irish territory or in Irish airspace; the way this relates to US assurances that these aircraft are not on military operations and not armed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44956/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The 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 those that can operate as refuelling aircraft, 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.