Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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289. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps his Department has taken to determine whether Gulfstream GV N588AT, which landed at Shannon Airport on 21 May 2025, was operating as a civil aircraft for the purposes of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1946; if he is satisfied that the Gulfstream GV N588AT was not operating as a state aircraft with reference to the definition provided for by section 5 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1950; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28952/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The aircraft in question is "N" registered, which means it is recorded on the US Federal Aviation Administration registry. It has the appropriate safety approval to operate commercial aviation operations within, into or out of the European Union. It is understood that the air operator in question holds a US Government contract to carry out domestic and international air services.

Stops at Irish airports by private and commercial charters which are technical stops for non-traffic purposes (i.e. not picking up or setting down passengers), do not require prior authorisation from my Department. Therefore, no further examination of this operation is required under civil aviation legislation.