Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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747. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason for the presence of two military aircraft belonging to the United States of America at Shannon Airport on 11 March 2015, namely, a United States of America Navy Lockheed C-130T Hercules, number BD5379, and a United States of America Marines KC-130J super Hercules, if An Garda Síochána contacted his Department in relation to the fact that a request was made by a member of the public to search and investigate these aircraft; the direction given by his Department regarding the search, and the basis for this direction. [11992/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that permission was granted by my Department for the landing of the two aircraft at Shannon Airport for the purpose of crew rest and subject to the strict conditions which apply to all foreign military aircraft. 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.

My Department was not contacted by An Garda Síochána in relation to these aircraft.

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. The principle of sovereign immunity applies automatically to foreign State or military aircraft, in the same way that it applies to Irish State or military aircraft abroad.