Written answers

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Military Aircraft

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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370. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the strict conditions which must be satisfied before permission to overfly the territory of the State may be granted; the thorough and robust procedures that are in place led by his Department with a view to ensuring that the conditions for securing permission for foreign military aircraft to overfly the State are clearly understood and properly applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25116/20]

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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371. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the role of the Defence Forces in cases in which foreign military aircraft overfly the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25117/20]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 370 and 371 together.

Ireland requires diplomatic clearance to be sought in advance for overflight of Irish sovereign airspace by foreign state and military aircraft. Diplomatic clearance is granted subject to strict conditions. These conditions routinely include stipulations that the aircraft in question is unarmed, carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it must not engage in intelligence gathering and does not form part of any military operation or exercise.

The Embassy of the requesting State is required to complete a diplomatic clearance form which indicates that the aircraft meets these specific conditions in order to receive the necessary permission. In advance of the provision of diplomatic clearance, the views of the Department of Justice and Equality are sought and the request is shared with Department of Defence, the Defence Forces, An Garda Siochana and other relevant stakeholders.

The procedures are kept under ongoing review with a view to ensuring that the information required is clearly understood and applied by those submitting applications.

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