Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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44.To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he authorised the overflight of Israeli cargo plane (registration 4X-ICA) on its flight from Nevatim air base (VTM) to Fairfield Travis Air force Base (SUU) on 14 August 2024; if he authorised the same plane in its flight from Tel Aviv (TVV) to Fairfield Travis Air force Base (SUU); if he is aware that this is an aircraft that is regularly used to transport munitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[34737/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly, or land in, the State require diplomatic clearance from the Minister of Foreign Affairs. As the flights referred to were civil aircraft, there was no requirement to obtain diplomatic clearance from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to enter Irish sovereign airspace.

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 the Minister for Transport.

In considering any application for such an exemption in respect of munitions of war, the Department of Transport consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice on applications to determine if there are foreign policy or security considerations to take into account.

The process is robust and includes advice from my Department in respect of international humanitarian law, Ireland’s international obligations and our wider arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation policy.

In 2023, and to date in 2024, no applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel.