An average of 300 US troops passed through Shannon Airport each day during the first 81 days of the year, it has been revealed.
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross has confirmed a total of 24,521 US military personnel transited the airport on their way from or to the United States between January 1 and March 22.
The Minister also confirmed, in response to questions from Independent TD Mick Wallace, that 198 requests were made to his department for permission to carry munitions through Irish airspace.
The Wexford Deputy asked the Minister to reveal the number of applications made for exemptions for the transportation of munition.
Deputy Wallace also asked the Minister how many US troops passed through Shannon Airport during the same timeframe.
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In response Minister Ross said: “When considering an application for an exemption for the carriage of munitions of war under the Orders, my Department consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on foreign policy issues and the Department of Justice and Equality on security issues.
“My Department publishes statistics on its website regarding the number of such applications made and further details the numbers that are granted, refused and cancelled."
The Department’s "Munitions of War" statistics confirm that during January and February this year, the Department received 198 requests for permission to carry munitions through Irish airspace. Permission was granted in 196 cases while one was request was refused an another was cancelled.
110 of the requests were for permission to carry munitions ‘over Irish sovereign territory’. Of these, 108 were cleared to do so.
The Minister confirmed: “One application was refused in the period in question on the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. "
Of the 88 requests for aircraft to land at Shannon Airport, all were granted, figures confirm.
The Minister added: “My Department has no function with regard to the transit of foreign military personnel through Irish sovereign territory or Irish Airports.”
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He added: “Shannon Airport Authority has informed my Department that the number of US troops that passed through Shannon Airport between the 1st of January 2019 to the 22nd of March 2019 was 24,521”.
ShannonWatch spokesman John Lannon said: "Instead of looking for ways to reduce conflict in the Middle East, Ireland is fuelling it by allowing US troops to pass through Shannon. The reported number of 24,521 troops up to March 22nd may not even reflect the full scale of the support for US militarism, since troop numbers are only reported on military contracted civilian planes like Omni Air International.
"No information is provided on how many, or indeed what cargo, is carried on the US Air Force and other military planes that land in Shannon or fly through Irish airspace. The government themselves may not even know what is on these as no inspections are carried out, as far as we are aware."
