Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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1084. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 21 June 2018, if the aircraft was or was not in Irish controlled airspace. [35658/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As previously indicated in my reply to Dail Question No. 200 dated 14 June 2018, the aircraft in question, while over international waters, was diverted to Shannon Airport due to technical issues.

I understand that the event was reported as occurring at the boundary of the Shannon and Shanwick Upper Flight Information Regions (UIR). The location is within Irish controlled airspace but over international waters and, as such, the matter would not be the subject of an investigation by the relevant Irish authorities.

In this context, it is important to make a distinction between Irish "sovereign" airspace and Irish “controlled” airspace.

Irish sovereign airspace, by definition and international agreement, is the portion of the atmosphere controlled by Ireland above its territory, including its territorial waters (i.e. 12 nautical miles out from the coastline). Airspace beyond a country’s territorial limit is termed “international”.

Ireland, as a party to international agreements, provides certain air traffic management services in some parts of international airspace, including the Shannon UIR. However, the relevant international treaty sets out that when the location of an incident cannot be established as being within or over the territory of another State, the State of Operator, after consultation with the State of Registry, should accept full or partial responsibility for the conduct of the investigation.

In this instance, it was established that the event did not occur in the territory of the State, as it was beyond the 12 mile territorial limit.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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1085. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 2179 of 24 July 2018, if permission was given for munitions or explosives to be taken through Shannon Airport on an aircraft (details supplied) which landed at the airport on 11 July 2018. [35659/18]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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1086. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 2179 of 24 July 2018, if the attention of authorities and fire personnel at Shannon Airport was drawn to munitions and or explosives on board an aircraft (details supplied) which landed there on 11 July 2018 while it was parked very close to civilian passenger aircraft at the main terminal building; and the special precautions taken to minimise the danger to civilians at the airport. [35660/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1085 and 1086 together.

Shannon Airport Authority has confirmed that the aircraft in question transitted through Shannon Airport as a technical stop for aviation fuel on a number of ocassions during July 2018.

I understand that the Airport Authority has no information of there being either munitions or dangerous goods on board the aircraft. No application for an exemption under S.I. 224/1973 was made to my Department.