Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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345. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 528 of 31 May 2016, if he has an obligation to carry out an audit of compliance with the conditions on which he grants permission through the conducting of unannounced inspections, in the context of his statement that the United States of America is fully aware of the need to comply with these strict conditions. [15492/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with international practice, foreign military aircraft landing in Ireland with the permission of the Government are not subject to searches or inspections. The principle of sovereign immunity applies automatically to such foreign State or military aircraft, in the same way that it applies to Irish State or military aircraft abroad.

Ireland accepts the generally recognised principles of international law as its rule of conduct in its relations with other States. Bilateral relations between friendly nations are founded on mutual trust; both parties have an interest in maintaining that trust and not undermining it. Details supplied to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade by diplomatic missions in relation to foreign military aircraft are therefore accepted in good faith as being accurate.

Information provided to other States by Irish diplomatic missions seeking diplomatic clearance for flights undertaken by the Air Corps is similarly accepted by those countries to be accurate.