Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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180. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of exemptions granted under Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989 to allow for the transport of munitions or weapons of war through Irish sovereign airspace in the past six months, broken down by week, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4817/25]

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has granted exemptions for the transport of munitions or weapons of war through Irish sovereign airspace under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989 since becoming Minister for Transport; if he intends to do so in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4818/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together.

The carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on any civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory or on any Irish-registered civil aircraft wherever it may be operating, unless an exemption is granted by the Minister for Transport, as stipulated in the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989.

Since my appointment as Minister for Transport I have granted exemptions for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft in line with long-standing Government policy.

Between 1 August 2024 and 31 January 2025 a total of 744 exemptions were granted.

My Department regularly publishes statistics on exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft. These statistics are collated on a monthly basis and are published on the gov.ie website, they can be accessed via the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/15da60-the-carriage-of-munitions-of-war-on-civil-aircraft/#statistics