Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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103. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of exemptions permitting the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory that have been granted to US military aircraft from 2022 to date; and the destination of each aircraft which has been provided an exemption, in tabular form. [49573/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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A clear distinction is made in international and national law between State aircraft (including military aircraft) and civil aircraft. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has responsibility for matters relating to State aircraft (including military aircraft). As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for matters relating to civil aircraft.

Under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989, it is expressly prohibited for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory, without being granted an exemption to do so by me as Minister for Transport.

When an application for an exemption is received from a civil air operator my Department consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice to determine if there are any foreign policy or security matters that should be considered in respect of that application. The Irish Aviation Authority is consulted if an application also concerns the carriage of dangerous goods. The Department of Defence is informed of all applications received.

From 2022 to 2023 (end October), 1,805 exemptions have been granted to US civil air operators permitting the carriage of munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory.

All exemptions granted to US civil air operators in this period have been for the carriage of unloaded personal weapons of military personnel. No ammunition was carried on any of these flights. The flights themselves are either overflights or a technical stop in Ireland for, for example, refuelling, crew rest or crew change.

The table below details the destinations of the 1,805 exemptions granted to US civil air operators between 2022 and 2023 (end October):