Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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327. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total costs of air traffic control fees, paid by the State on behalf of US military aircraft that transited through Irish airports and Irish air space from 2018 to date in 2025. [61624/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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AirNav Ireland (ANI) is a commercial state body funded by charges and fees raised from airspace users. It provides air traffic management and related services for the 451,000 km² of airspace controlled by Ireland. This area includes both sovereign Irish airspace and international airspace for which Ireland provides air traffic services. It should be noted that while most civil aircraft do not require permission to enter Irish airspace under international agreements to which the State is a party, the operation of foreign state or military aircraft in Irish sovereign airspace is a matter for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. ANI’s role in that regard is the provision of air traffic services to ensure the safety of civil aviation.

Aircraft that transit through Irish-controlled airspace are charged for en-route services in the form of en-route charges. Furthermore, aircraft transiting the eastern half of the North Atlantic are charged for North Atlantic Communications services provided by ANI. Where an aircraft lands in Ireland, that aircraft is also subject to terminal charges in relation to terminal air navigation services.

EUROCONTROL, the intergovernmental organisation that coordinates and supports air traffic management across Europe, charges airspace users for these services on behalf of ANI.

Some airspace users are exempt from certain charges. In relation to en-route charges, the policy and general practice at international level is to exempt foreign military flights from these charges. Ireland, in common with the vast majority of EUROCONTROL's other 41 member states, subscribes to this practice.

Between 2018 and September 2025, the cost to the State for en-route charges and North-Atlantic Communications charges for US military aircraft amounted to €10.1 million including VAT. In relation to terminal charges between 2018 and September 2025, the cost of these charges for US military aircraft has amounted to €0.5 million including VAT.