Written answers

Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

National Security

Photo of Malcolm ByrneMalcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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233. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total number of recorded aircraft that unlawfully entered Irish airspace during each of the years 2023 and 2024, and to date in 2025. [51801/25]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As I indicated to the Deputy, in response to his parliamentary question no. 276 of 29 May 2025, the right for air operators to operate in and through Irish airspace is governed by a range of agreements and conventions of which the State is a party.

The Convention on International Civil Aviation1944 (Chicago Convention) confers the right for non-scheduled flights to both overfly and make stops for technical purposes in the territories of its contracting parties. 193 States are party to the Chicago Convention. The International Air Services Transit Agreement 1944 affords these same rights to scheduled flights, approximately 135 States are party to this Agreement.

The movement of commercial traffic, passengers and cargo, by air is managed through a framework of bilateral or multilateral agreements that the State is party too, which grant rights to operate commercial air transport between the contracting parties. Privately operated and general aviation flights operate outside of these agreements are not within scope of any of the aforementioned agreements and do not require authorisation.

The operation of foreign military aircraft in Irish sovereign territory is a matter for the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

To provide a picture of the quantum of aircraft movements that take place, in 2024, AirNav Ireland ensured the safe and efficient operation of over 380,600 overflights in Irish controlled airspace. It continues to manage similar volumes in 2025.

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