Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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128. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 261 of 29 June 2017, the advice or response given by his Department in respect of the 135 flights that landed at Shannon Airport with troops and weapons on board between January and May 2017 and the 229 overflights in Irish airspace with munitions on board in that period. [31855/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has primary responsibility for the regulation of civil aircraft.

Civil aircraft are prohibited from carrying weapons or munitions of war through Irish airspace and airports unless an exemption has been obtained in advance from the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. In considering requests made by commercial carriers, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport seeks the advice of other Departments, including my Department on any foreign policy issues that may arise.

In considering such requests, my Department will examine the nature of the munitions that it is proposed to carry based on the information provided by the airline in writing to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport when an exemption is sought. My Department generally recommends against granting exemptions to carry munitions of war except for flights carrying troops and their unloaded personal weapons.

My Department’s provision of advice to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in respect of such requests is guided by and accords with Ireland’s longstanding policy of military neutrality.