Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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656. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding air traffic control fees for military flights using Irish airspace and airports here; if fees are waived for military aircraft; if so, the cost of waived fees in each of the years 2010 to 2019; and the cost waived for each individual military body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12698/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The practice of exempting en-route charges for certain specified classes of airspace users, including military aircraft, derives from the exclusion of State aircraft from the scope of the 1944 Chicago Convention establishing the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). While the application of the exemption from charges is at the discretion of the State concerned, the policy and general practice at international level is to exempt such flights from charges.  Ireland, in common with the vast majority of Eurocontrol's 41 member states, subscribes to this practice.

The cost incurred by the Irish Aviation Authority in providing exempt en-route services for such flights is reimbursed by my Department.

The breakdown of the amounts reimbursed for military flights is not held by my Department, however the aggregate figures for exempt services payments to the Irish Aviation Authority are available and are shown in the below table.