Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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213.To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the engagement he has had with his counterpart in the US Administration regarding flights landing at Shannon Airport that are engaged in any type of military engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31908/24]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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All foreign military aircraft wishing to enter Irish sovereign territory are required to obtain diplomatic clearance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs. This clearance is only granted where all relevant conditions are met, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition, or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that it does not form part of a military exercise or operation.

The US military also charters civil aircraft to move its personnel to locations around the globe. Some of these aircraft stop briefly at Shannon Airport before continuing their journey, for refuelling, crew rest, crew change, etc.

When such civil aircraft seek to enter Irish sovereign territory and the US military personnel onboard are travelling with their personal issued weapons, then the provisions of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989 are applicable.

Under these orders, the carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on any civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory, unless an exemption to do so is granted by the Minister for Transport.

The application for an exemption is made by the operator of the civil aircraft and, should it be granted, is issued to that operator. Exemptions permitting the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft are not granted to States or to State authorities.

This control on the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft is an international requirement originating in Article 35 of the Chicago Convention 1944, with States maintaining their own domestic procedures and policies.

The procedure to apply for exemptions in Ireland is both long-standing and robust, and it includes consultations with other government departments and the Irish Aviation Authority when necessary. US civil air operators are fully informed of our procedure and regularly make applications and are granted exemptions.

This process does not require any engagement with the US Department of Transportation or any other US State body. Should any contact with the US administration be required, on matters related to military engagement, it would be undertaken through diplomatic channels by the Department of Foreign Affairs.