Written answers

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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371. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the responsibilities the Defence Forces, in particular the Air Corps, have in defending Ireland against potential air threats in Irish-controlled airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40504/20]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Air Corps is not tasked or equipped to monitor aircraft overflying the entirety of Irish airspace. However, on a routine basis, the Air Corps monitors and communicates with foreign military aircraft where such aircraft are flying in the airspace in the vicinity of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, where air traffic control is provided by the Defence Forces.

As set out in the White Paper on Defence Update (2019), the National Development Plan 2018 to 2027, which provides €541m in capital funding for Defence over the period to 2022, does not make provision for any of the other service led priorities, including air defence capabilities for the Army or a radar surveillance capability for the Air Corps. It remains Government policy, as per the 2015 White Paper on Defence, that should additional funding, beyond that required to maintain existing capabilities become available the development of a more capable air combat/intercept capability and/or a radar surveillance capability will be considered. Funding for these initiatives is not provided in the current resource envelope and any future decisions in this regard will be in the context of the ongoing security environment and any associated developments.

The Department of Transport has overall responsibility for the development and formulation of national policy in the field of aviation security, and for aviation security obligations under all national and international legislation. The National Aviation Security Committee meets regularly, under the chairmanship of the Department of Transport. The Department of Defence and the Air Corps are members of this committee.

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