Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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448. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to the aircraft of the United States of America, Military Hercules EC130H, which made an emergency landing at Shannon, on 28 February 2015, if this warplane had its transponder switched on, at all times, when in Irish, and European, control airspace; if it had permission to be in Irish airspace, before it developed engine trouble; the weapons that were on board this aircraft, in addition to its armament, non-kinetic energy waveforms; the personal weapons being carried by the crew, and other passengers; the airport of origin of the flight, and its planned destination, and if it was being accompanied by another military aircraft of the United States of America, possibly a C40. [10086/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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On 18 February my Department granted permission for the landing of a US C130 military aircraft at Shannon Airport in accordance with standard conditions which apply to the landing of all foreign military aircraft. These included 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.

On 28 February the Department was contacted by the US Embassy regarding a request for the landing of a military aircraft at Shannon Airport. The Department was informed that the timeframe of the permission originally granted for the aircraft had lapsed. The Embassy confirmed that the only changes from the original request were the date and time of landing and the duration of the stopover. Permission was granted on this basis and under the aforementioned conditions. On landing, the aircraft declared an emergency due to failure of one of its engines.

The Department was subsequently informed that the aircraft that landed was a variant of the aircraft type for which permission had been sought and granted. The aircraft which landed was an EC130H. Assurances that the EC130H was unarmed, carried no arms, ammunition or explosives, was not engaged in intelligence gathering, and did not form part of military exercises or operations were re-confirmed by the Embassy. The Embassy has since confirmed that the aircraft was not accompanied by any other aircraft on arrival at Shannon.

My Department does not hold any information regarding aircraft transponders or communication between aircraft and air traffic controllers; these issues are a matter for the aviation authorities. It is not the practice to disclose details of the itinerary of individual flights.

Nevertheless, the circumstances surrounding this landing are such that I have asked my officials to pursue the matter with the US Embassy.