Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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254. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has been in contact with the new US administration under President Joe Biden in relation to the continued use of Shannon Airport to carry munitions of war on civil aircraft given Shannon Airport was found to be the airport of origin on 282 occasions. [33685/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973 prohibits the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft, including on troop-carrying civil aviation operators, through Irish airspace or Irish airports, unless an exemption has been granted by the Minister for Transport. Statistics on such exemptions are published on the Department of Transport’s website, which may be the source for the figures provided by the Deputy.

The process in place around the granting of such permission by the Minister for Transport is robust and includes seeking the advice of the Department of Foreign on any implications for Ireland's policy of military neutrality. My Department routinely recommends against the carriage of munitions, with exceptions made for unloaded personal weapons or those intended for international crisis management and peace support operations.

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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255. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way Ireland can remain neutral on the basis that it is facilitating the United States of America by allowing US troops and ammunition through the country mainly through Shannon Airport. [33686/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality is characterised by non-membership of military alliances and is not inconsistent with military aircraft of other States being allowed under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, to land in Ireland under certain circumstances.

Foreign military aircraft are permitted to land in the State only if they meet strict conditions, routinely including that the aircraft is unarmed, and carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it is not engaged in intelligence gathering; and that it does not form part of a military operation or exercise.

Furthermore the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973 prohibits the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft, including on troop-carrying civil aviation operators, through Irish airspace or Irish airports, unless an exemption has been granted by the Minister for Transport. Statistics on such exemptions are published on the Department of Transport’s website.

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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256. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether Ireland should continue to facilitate the ongoing use of Shannon Airport by US army troops given Ireland's neutrality. [33687/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality is characterised by non-membership of military alliances and is not inconsistent with military aircraft of other states being allowed under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, to land in Ireland under certain circumstances.

Foreign military aircraft are permitted to land in the State only if they meet strict conditions, routinely including that the aircraft is unarmed, and carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it is not engaged in intelligence gathering; and that it does not form part of a military operation or exercise.

Furthermore the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973 prohibits the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft, including on troop-carrying civil aviation operators, through Irish airspace or Irish airports, unless an exemption has been granted by the Minister for Transport. Statistics on such exemptions are published on the Department of Transport’s website.