Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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710. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of military aircraft that landed at Shannon Airport in 2016, with a monthly breakdown based on their country of origin. [1953/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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During 2016, my Department received 645 requests for landings by military aircraft at Shannon Airport from 11 countries. The details are set out in the following table:

Arrangements under which permission is granted for foreign 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.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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711. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of military aircraft that landed at airports other than Shannon Airport, with a breakdown based on the airport at which they landed and their country of origin. [1954/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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During 2016, my Department received 101 requests for landings by military aircraft at airports other than Shannon Airport from 17 countries. The details are set out in the following table:

In addition to the above requests, my Department also received one military aircraft landing request from the British Embassy in connection with a VIP visit at Donegal Four Masters GAA grounds during May 2016.

Arrangements under which permission is granted for foreign 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.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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712. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason a British RAF Hercules C130J C5 landed at Shannon airport on 29 December 2016; if his attention had been drawn to its intention to land in advance or if he gave permission for it to land; if there were any other RAF aircraft landings at airports here in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1955/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, all foreign military aircraft require the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to overfly or land in the State. Arrangements under which permission is granted for foreign 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.

In this instance, permission to land was not sought in advance from my Department. In response to a request for clarification from my officials, the British Embassy has explained that this was due to a communication breakdown.

The Embassy has confirmed in writing that the purpose of the landing was refuelling, and that the flight was unarmed; carried no arms, ammunition or explosives; and was not engaged in intelligence-gathering nor formed part of a military exercise or operation.

The Government views breaches of the procedures set down for the granting of permission for such landings with the utmost seriousness. I have instructed my officials to discuss the matter further with the British Embassy with a view to ensuring that correct procedures are followed in future.

In 2016, there were 21 requests for permission for RAF aircraft to land in Ireland. On each of those occasions the correct procedure was followed.