Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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77. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has given approval for the transfer of military weaponry or personnel through Irish airspace, from the period 28 May to date in 2025, to the State of Israel; and if his Department is aware of the use of military aircraft in the above-mentioned operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42294/25]

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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78. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has given approval for the transfer of military weaponry or personnel through Irish airspace from the period 28 May to date in 2025; if his Department is aware of the use of military aircraft in the operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42295/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together.

Responsibility for the regulation of foreign aircraft landing or overflying the State is shared between Departments. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility for the regulation of foreign military and state aircraft, while the Minister for Transport leads on regulation of civil aircraft.

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.

Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation.

This policy is well known and is fully understood by the United States and other international partners, and is done in full compliance with Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality.

Since 28 May 2025, diplomatic clearance has been granted for foreign military aircraft to overfly or land in the State, where the stringent conditions required by my Department, are met. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is committed to the highest standards of transparency on this issue, and publishes monthly statistics in relation to overflights and landings of foreign military and state aircraft on the gov.ie website.

Diplomatic clearance has been granted on two occasions since 28 May 2025, for US military aircraft to land in Shannon for the specific purpose of transporting senior officials travelling from the United States to Israel. However, both of these requests were subsequently cancelled. I am satisfied that the procedures for diplomatic clearance were followed in full on each of these occasions.

Furthermore, 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. Since October 2023, no applications have been received or exemptions granted to permit the carriage of munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory for a flight by a civil aircraft destined for a point in Israel.