Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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197. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a US military flyover will be permitted during the NFL game in September of this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29879/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Sports diplomacy is an important part of Ireland’s engagement with our partners globally. Sport has long been a vehicle for Irish people to foster people-to-people links abroad and highlight the best of the country’s values. In recognition of the strength of Ireland’s sporting influence and the value placed sport by communities around the country, I launched Ireland’s first formal International Sports Diplomacy Framework this May.

World class sports events can help to drive trade, tourism, business, community engagement and economic growth. Ireland will host a regular season NFL fixture for the first time in 2025. The event will harness the unifying power of sport to promote Ireland’s values, culture and economic offering and build on the deep links between Ireland and the US.

The Department has not received any requests for foreign military aircraft to overfly the State in conjunction with the NFL fixture due to take place in September of this year. 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 for Foreign Affairs.