Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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159. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he still believes that Israeli munitions are not being flown through Irish airspace (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49557/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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160. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has met with Israeli officials to discuss the transportation of Israeli munitions through Irish airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49558/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together.

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

Since October 2023, diplomatic clearance has been granted on a small number of occasions for US military aircraft to land in Shannon for the specific purpose of transporting senior officials travelling from the United States to the Middle East. I am fully satisfied that the stringent 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.

In 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025, no applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel.

The Department of Transport is aware of the media reports alleging that several air operators carried munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory without the appropriate permission to do so, and its examination of this issue is on-going.

I have not met with Israeli officials on this matter.